Benten's lesson
by Melanippos
Summary: Sesshoumaru angers and offends a goddess. In retribution she decides he is in need in a lesson of humility and decides on Kagome's knowledge of unusual foreign literature as the means of exacting an education on the both of them.
1. A Goddess Scorned

**Disclaimer:** I do hereby disclaim all rights and responsibilities for the characters in this story. Rumiko Takahashi created them, I am just having a brief, merciless play with them. Unless I happen to invent and insert my own characters. In which case I still won't make money off them. Benten is an actual Goddess and if I tried to claim creative rights she'd probably set dragons on me so I won't

**Author's Note:** I am NOT a writer, I am an illustrator and that is where I am most happy. I make no promises nor give false . This is my first fanfic. Constructive feedback appreciated.

~ Chapter 1 - A Goddess Scorned ~

Sesshoumaru was not in a pleasant mood. He had been passing through one of the smaller forests with the intent of settling some small boundary dispute with another youkai that had infringed on his territory. The misfortune had begun on the very edge of a minor forest. He had paid it no heed at the time, intent on his destination.

An old human lady in patched kimonos had knelt at the base of a pair of pine trees. A battered koto placed before her on an equally shabby square of fabric. Her gnarled fingers and plectrum coaxed a delicate, sweet folksong from the frayed strings, the tones only slightly hindered by the arthritic stiffening of her hands.

As he had approached she had lifted a clay begging bowl beseechingly.

Sesshoumaru had swept past ignoring her, intent on his path. He had heard finer musicians in his fathers halls, had finer musicians in his own service, though he rarely cared to listen. His thoughts were not on music but the task at hand and he would not be swayed.

Or so he had thought.

What should have been a quick passage through the forest had stretched to hours. The area covered by these trees shouldn't have been more than a ri* in distance. Less than that and beyond lay fields and mountains. Yet he had entered the trees in the early morning and now the sun was high over-head and he had yet to find the forest's edge. Flying had made no difference. Sesshoumaru had launched himself beyond the canopy several hours ago only to find that the forest now extended as far as the eye see.

The faint sound of plucked strings drew him back down to the forest floor. There the old lady still sat… no… a different another old lady. This one was dressed even more beggarly than the first and had a shamisen made of poorly stained paulownia wood. The smell of old fish and seaweed clung to her clothing and Sesshoumaru wrinked his nose.

Yet the shamisen was skillfully played, the music a piece worthy of a nobles entertainment, despite the quality of the instrument and the appearance of the musician.

The old lady paused in her playing, as if only just realising his presence and scrabbled for her begging bowl, the shamisen forgotten in her lap.

"Kind sir. Kind sir. Mon* or Rice? A blessing on you… Mon or Rice?" Her face split into a blackened, snag-toothed grin as she held up her bowl waving it hopefully. Her cracked fingernails were ingrained with dirt and the Taiyoukai could see lice skittering through the folds of her clothing.

Disgusted Sesshoumaru had turned on his heel, launching himself swiftly into the air once more, leaving the parasite riddled human behind. He called up his youki and pushed on forward, trying to outrun the forest. Unwilling to back down on his quest.

Now night was drawing in. The sun sat low in the sky and yet the forest still did not end. Nor was there any sign of life now: not yokai, human, animal or bird. A fierce wind began sweeping across the tree tops, ruffling them like an ocean's waves and Sesshoumaru allowed himself a small frown.

From below, once again, he heard the sound of a stringed instrument being plucked as a elegant ballad was played. A taunting, jeering noise it seemed to Sesshoumaru. His jaw tightened and he dropped like a falcon from the sky towards it.

A third old lady, this one wearing only tatters, her hair a birds-nest of tangles sat playing a crude biwa: the music as delicate as a nightingale's song. Sesshoumaru did not pause in his descent but landed at her feet, grabbing her by the throat and lifted her in one smooth motion.

"What enchantment is this crone?" He growled, shaking her. "Old women don't beg for coin in the middle of a deserted forest where there are no roads, no people, no life. Who are you?!"

The old woman dangled for a moment then began to laugh. Not the cackle of an old woman – but a deep, mirthful rich laugh and, though he squeezed at her throat, he could not silence her. There was something about the laugh that sent a jolt of unease down his spine– her laugh held anger, challenge, purpose and most disturbingly, humor.

"Ah Child. You have just granted me the permission that Bishamonten* would have withheld. Ah such shame! What warrior would strike at a harmless old woman?! He shall not try to stay my hand now."

The old woman looked directly into his eyes and Sesshoumaru saw her own glowed with a pale light and the irises shone bright grey. The old woman's age fell away as her hunched body stretched. "You are a fool to dismiss the elderly Sesshoumaru. You are fool to dismiss my music." Her feet met the ground and she straightened.

"And you are thrice a fool to forget there are beings far greater than yourself."

The woman now stood a good head taller again than Sesshoumaru. No longer dangling from his grasp, the lady casually peeled his hand from her throat and the Taiyoukai found himself powerless to stop her. This was no youkai nor human that held him powerless. There was no reiki or youki around her yet the air around her crackled with power.

The tattered rags had disintegrated as the woman had changed, replaced by russet kimonos that were embroidered with dragon scales and wave patterns. Her hair now reached down to the ground and a live white snake coiled through the ornate loops of her hair. It flicked its tongue at him distainfully.

Then she Looked at him and he felt her gaze pierce his very being, sifting and judging all he had done. Outrage bubbled up within him but he could do nothing to free himself from her grasp. The very air seemed to gel around him and he could not draw on his Youki. He gritted his teeth and willed himself to calm. Searching for an escape or some way to equalise the situation.

"Hmm." The woman pursed her lips thoughtfully, as if she had seen something in his thoughts to make her reconsider whatever she had intended. She studied his hand next, turning it still firmly gripped in her own, tracing a fingernail across his palm.

"A long life-line. Though you make waste of it now. Your father showed proper respect. He, and his father before, remembered the rituals. I have waited two hundred years for you, Sesshoumaru, to remember the tributes due. Waited without avail. And now I find you are…" She curled a lip. "...uneducated in appreciation of what I have bestowed upon your family. Ignorant of the duties held by those blessed with power, stagnant of heart. And worst! You have ceased to think of my tribute, and after showing such promise as a child."

She looked up from his hand again and her eyes were fierce, joyous and determined.

"I do believe you are in need of a lesson… It will be most… illuminating."

And as she let go of his hand the world went dark around him and Sesshoumaru knew no more.

~o0o~

* 里 Ri: Traditional measurement of distance that measures to roughly 3.9 kilometers.  
* 文 Mon: One of the smaller valued coins cast in copper or Iron and used as currency in Japan from 1336 to 1870.  
* 毘沙門天 Bishamonten: Armor-clad god of warfare or warriors and one of the seven gods of fortune. Originally from India, where he was Vaiśravaṇa, one of the four heavenly kings in Buddhist mythology.


	2. An Exchange of sorts

**Disclaimer:** I do hereby disclaim all rights and responsibilities for the characters in this story as par usual jam jar of necessities.

~Chapter 2 - An Exchange of Sorts~

The evening had been pleasant. Mild. The crickets and frogs had sung their courtship songs from the surrounding darkness and there had been a complacent sense of peace surrounding the party.

Supper was done and Inuyasha had sprawled himself across the ground near their token fire picking at his teeth. Sango hummed quietly as she tended her weapons. Miroku mended a sandal, Shippo was absorbed in arranged leaves in some quiet game of patterns and Kagome just sat enjoyed the tranquility and the nearly full-moon.

For once there was no rush to be anywhere, do anything. Tomorrow their search for shards would continue. But for now…

A ripple of sound came from the darkness from one side of the campsite – like the strings of a musical instrument being plucked quickly. A breeze laden with the smell of sea water whipped through the glade, making the fire gutter and then the air seemed to still. Everything seemed to still.

Inuyasha had launched himself to his feet at the unexpected noise but even as he did so time seemed to slow and stop around them all, trapping him mid-movement. Only their eyes seemed free of constraint and rolled to look as, graceful and poised, a tall figure stepped out into the light.

The Lady did not seem to walk but rather glided forward, the leaves on the ground barely ruffled by her passage. Dew spangled the glossy black hair that trailed down her back and onto the ground behind her like a train of silk. A comb of white ivory carved in the likeness of a snake adorned her ornately arrayed hair and her many layered kimonos shaded from deepest indigo through to the palest green-white.

Her eyes were a pale blue-grey, both merry and cold. She looked at each of the party members in turn and just as quickly dismissed them.  
Until she came to Kagome. Here she pause and her gaze intensified.

Kagome felt a gentle touch brush across her thoughts, riffling through her memories so fast it was like a picture book being flipped too fast for her to see what the images were. Then the presence was gone and she was left to try to recover her thoughts, all scattered by another's hand.

The lady drew back slightly, her mouth turned up into a slight smile as her gaze swept over Kagome once more. This time looking at her outward appearance.

"Yes. That is what I sought. More than what I sought. Good."

The lady turned, sweeping the trailing fabric of her costume around with her to address Miroku.

"I will borrow your friend for a while… She will return unharmed. And in return you will take this to Enoshima* for me."

She reached into her sleeve and drew out a biwa* that appeared to have been carved from jade. The strings glistened and trembled, catching the firelight like strands of amber.

Tentatively he held out his hands to accept the instrument. The moment he touched it the lady was gone. As was Kagome – and the spell that held them vanished.

"What th' Hell jus' happened?!" Inuyasha barked stumbling forward, claws extended, to the spot where the lady had disappeared, leaving nothing but the lingering fragrance of sea foam.

Miroku dropped to his knees reverently, holding the Biwa as though it were made from eggshell. Carefully he placed it on the ground and bowed his head, clapping loudly.

"It was Benzaiten-Sama… It had to be." Miroku gestured to the ground where the lady had stood. A small spring of fresh water now gushed from the ground, trickling over the grass.

"Who th' F.."

"Benza?—THE Benten-Sama?! One of the Seven Gods of Luck?" Shippo gaped, poking at the spring tentatively with a stick. "Wow. I've heard of her... but why did she take Kagome?"

"What? A God just took Kagome?! Why?" Inuyasha spun "We hafta rescue her…"

"Benten-Sama has always been a benevolent god," Sango offered tentatively. "Perhaps we should find the nearest temple and ask her priests what has happened…"

Miroku stood, cradling the biwa and dusting his knees with his other hand.

"She said to go to Enoshima. Perhaps we will find Kagome there…"

"That Benten lady made it sound like a threat – take the lute or Kagome gets it," Inuyasha snarled. " Who th' hell is this Enoshima anyway?"

"Not whom – where. Its an island to the south… I don't think Benzaiten-sama meant it as a threat. Perhaps… it was to give us something to do while we wait for Kagome's return. Our chance of finding shards without her is severely limited you must admit."

Shippo flopped down again, relieved. "If it's Benten-sama the Kagome is sure to be safe. We might even have a bit more luck."

~o0o~

*Enoshima: 江の島 is a small island set at the mouth of the Katase River. The entire island is dedicated to the goddess Benten who is said to have made it rise from the ocean floor.


	3. Modern Means

**Disclaimer:** I do hereby disclaim all rights and responsibilities for the characters in this story, they are not mine to toy with but I am playing none the less. Rumiko Takahashi created them.

**Author's Note: **Chapter edited again for spelling errors I picked up on my own. Please do review and let me know if I repeat words or mispell them - I do miss bits here and there.

~Chapter 3 - Modern Means ~

_...Kagome woke up... _

To find herself sitting astride something moving. She blinked and looked down - somehow she had fallen asleep on horseback…

The beast was glossy white and caparisoned in a gorgeous harness of red and gold. Sensing her wake the horse picked up it's pace, arching it's neck and champing at the bit, causing the bells on the reins to chime sweetly. She herself was now wearing a leather gloves, agreen velvet jacket over silk doublet, hose and... she tilted sideways enough to look down her leg... Knee length leather boots with silver spurs.

A flash of white at the corner of her eye made her realise she was also hatted. Kagome gripped the front of the saddle with one hand, knowing what the hat would look like even before she pulled it from her head. It was a great floppy velvet affair with two huge white ostrich plumes and she realised with a flush of embarrassment that she was dressed like a character from a very twee children's fairy tale book. And a male character at that.

"Weird dream..." She flicked herself and felt the sting. "I hope it's a dream..."

Looking around for some indicator as to where she was all Kagome could see were trees closely hemming them in. The horse was picking it's way along what looked like a game path. There was no sign of human habitation, nor other hoofprints on the ground and the forest didn't look right... The trees leaves and branch shapes were different from any she was familiar with... as if she was in a different country or something.

Finding no answer in her surrounding Kagome turned her attention back to her mount. She had never ridden a horse in her life. It moved very differently from Kirara and she was vaguely aware that there was more to steering it than just playing with the reins.

She flicked the reins cautiously.

"Hey. I don't suppose you can tell me where I am."

The horse's ears swung back briefly then forward.

"Are you ignoring me?" She poked the horse lightly with her heels trying to get it's attention again.

To her dismay the horse took this as a request to go faster. Eagerly it surged forward into a canter, nearly unseating her. Kagome abandoned thought of steering and dropped the reins to cling to the front of the saddle. The horse stretched out, pounding along the trail with gay abandon, heedless of rabbit holes, tree roots and uneven ground.

Some time later, long after Kagome had regained her breath enough to shout all manner of impolite things about the horse's parentage, they slowed back to a walk, the horse snorting and foaming lightly at the mouth but apparently pleased with itself. Kagome patted it's shoulder awkwardly.

"Neh: Thankyou for letting me stay on board."

The horse's ears flicked back again but Kagome was pretty sure by now that it was just a horse. Relaxing back into the saddle she tried to ignore the stiffness in her legs and looked around.

They had just stepped out of the forest into what appeared to be an orchard full of apple trees in bloom. The air was fragrant and white petals drifted down like benign snowflakes.

Ahead she could see a small group of... well… small people who stood near a dais in the middle of the orchard as if in discussion.  
They broke apart as Kagome neared, their eyes shining with gratitude.

One of them, an old woman, clapped her hands happily and turned to call out into the trees behind her. "Hanshin-tachi! Purinsu-Sama has arrived!"

"Uh...Hullo?" Kagome offered, looking down at them uncertainly. "Could you tell me where I am?"

Several more tiny people came trotting in from other parts of the orchard and Kagome counted under her breath. "five.. six.. seven."

How weird. Sort of like that western kid's story. Only these 'dwarves' were all dressed in traditional garb suited to the Sengoku period she had been whisked from, though all in different cuts of costume. One seemed to be wearing a noodle sellers apron, others in bright carnival jackets and yet another was wearing a broad straw hat and the clothing of a fisherman.

"Ah! It is Purinsu Sama. Purinsu of the white horse." Their reverent voices overlapped in an almost religious chant.

"Prince? Um I think there might be a mistake." Kagome looked around. "I'm just Kagome, Higurashi Kagome. This isn't my horse. I just found myself riding it." Even as she spoke she noticed they were using the western word for 'prince', and pronounced it like an unfamiliar name.

"The lady said you would come and break the spell, that we would know you by the white horse you rode."

"And by the fact no one else has come here since O-Hime-sama in the two months we have been here," remarked another, a little dryly.

"Spell? Please: I don't know anything about a spell… I'm even not sure how to get down from here..."

One of the dwarves finally took the horses reins and, with some instruction, she managed to fall off the horse quite gracefully, managing to pretty much land on her feet. She stood a moment, clutching the stirrup leather while the pins and needles faded from her toes and then the old lady took her hand and lead her to the dais.

Kagome could see there was a glass coffin on top and now she was certain of the fairytale she appeared to be a part of. Shiroyuki-hime to hanshin... Snow-white and the seven dwarves.

Curious to see who the princess was Kagome hopped up on the dais and, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, leant over to look at the sleeping woman...

She recoiled hyperventilating in surprise, fell off the dais and had to be both caught and supported supported by the nearest dwarves.

That was** NOT **what she had expected to see in the coffin.

Lying there in state on a pristine bed of flowers, in a gorgeous green silk gown, silky hair elegantly arranged around their head, was Inuyasha's half brother Sesshoumaru!

"Purinsu-sama: are you alright?" A hand patted her face and Kagome struggled back to her feet. Clamping down on her erratic breathing and batted away the gentle hands that supported .

"No. I refuse."

"I beg your pardon?"

Kagome threw the floppy hat on the ground and stomped a foot down on it, drew in a great lungful of air and turned to shout at the horse, the forest, the sky:

"This isn't funny. Not even if it's a dream! I want to wake up now! I'm not kissing Freaking Sesshoumaru. Not now! Not ever!"

There was no answering thunderclap. There was no jolting into wakefulness back in her sleeping bag.

The dwarves stood on looked on bemused as she stood there panting in fury.

The little old lady gently took her hand and patted it, a wry smile on her face. "It seems that you have met our O-Hime-sama before…Would Purinsu-sama care for some tea? Ohime-sama can wait a little longer. She has lain there over a week now with no decay."

"Oh Gods. Yes please!" Kagome said feverently. Anything to escape the face that lay in that coffin and the role that appeared to have been set befor her.

All of the 'hanshin-tachi' walked with her through the orchard, one reverently leading her horse along behind, in solemn silence. Until one started whistling... then another muttered something about radish moth to his fellow and suddenly Kagome was surrounded in the soft chatter of the everyday, all of it murmuring below waist level. She felt somewhat like a pine tree in a wheat field. It was somehow comforting. For all the strangeness of her surroundings she was among real people. Even if none of them was as tall as her hip.

Ahead a small thatched stone building became apparent. In contrast to the traditional clothing of the dwarves the house was a English cottage with a climbing rose scrambling up the front and a white picket fence... and a letterbox? Kagome wasn't given time to dwell on that anachronistic touch as she was ushered up the front steps to the door.

One of the hanshin helped her remove her boots before she stepped over the doorstep into the house and each of the others waited patiently for their turn to enter - the narrow doorway of the western house not designed for the civility of taking off shoes.

However the inside of the cottage was distinctly Japanese. There was even the central hearth with a cauldron in the middle of the room and an alcove with incense and offerings to the gods. The windows were papered and tatami matting carpeted the floor.

"Come. Sit. Sit."

The old lady patted the mat near her. While the others hanshin seemed to hold Kagome in some degree of awe the oldest lady seemed more relaxed in her presence. The rest of the dwarves sat respectfully along the other side of the room as the old lady set to putting tea on, a cauldron of water waiting to be swung out over the coals.

"Might I ask who you are and where you come from? I'm called Kagome, I... ah I come from near Edo… I am a student there…"

The old lady smiled as she spooned out tea leaves and folded back her sleeves ready to prepare the tea. "I am Mayu, I am from Chikuzen. There I am a weaver"

"Toro, of Nagato province. I am a blacksmith. Though I am small my arm is strong. I can throw a horse!" This from the dwarf who had lead her mount, and he flexed his brawny forearms as he spoke and Kagome stifled a giggle. The little man wriggled his eyebrows at her flirtatiously.

"Shizu, from Jinbo. My fish were sold as far as the markets of Izumo. I do not know if my boat is still there."

"Mu-sama, my noodles are the best in all of Tsushima."

"Jiro, I travel between Bizen and Totomi where I sell herbs."

"This is Mika-chan, my wife, and I am Kougi, we are from Iyo. We are entertainers there."

Kagome was impressed. "You come from many places…"

Mayu chuckled. "The only thing we have in common is our height and that we all play a musical instrument of one sort or another. We have spend many nights discussing why O-Benten-sama brought us here." As the last of the words left her lips the old woman clapped her fingertips over her mouth as if trying to catch and prevent her last sentance.

"O-Benten? The goddess of music?"

"Yes but hush. She asked not to be spoken of. I have slipped in my foolish old age. Would you like to hear us play?"

"Oh. Yes please!" Kagome swallowed here questions. The sudden uneasiness in Mayu's eyes cautioned the girl to hold her tongue. For all the years they had fought and befriended Youkai Kagome and her group had never encountered an actual god. The thought was somewhat unnerving.

Toro ducked out to tend to her horse, but the others all set to tuning their instruments. All of the dwarves had instruments of one form or another and, now that they had tuned them to satisfaction, they launched into a bright folk song, Mika sang and Kagome, encouraged by their glances, clapped time.

The dwarves played well – none were particularly excellent but they enjoyed making their instruments sing and each others company. This love infused their music.

Supper was splendid for all that it was peasant fare. 'Mu-sama' was a master of the pan and as he cooked he regailed Kagome and the rest of the company with stories of improbably events that had happened in his kitchen and in the dining area of his eatery back home.

"Have you been here long?" Kagome asked as seconds were being served. The dwarves exchanged glances. "Only about two months. It has been much quieter since O-Hime Purensessu fell under the curse. The lady..." Shizu here paused and a nodded towards the household shrine where Kagome noted a small carved statue of Benten stood smiling benevolently. "Brought us here to watch over her until the spell is broken. She will then return us home and bless our business from then on."

"I am glad you like our fare Purinsu-sama." Toro-san passed a second bowl of rice to Kagome and she took it eagerly. "O-Hime did not care for our music, or our fare, she would not try anything we cooked."

"Nor speak a word," Mika piped in. "She would walk around the orchard – once I saw her fall, as if she had tried to leap into the sky and failed. It is shame we could not make her happy. Kougi-san and I are good at making people smile but O-Hime san would not even look at us."

Kagome smiled sadly "I wouldn't worry too much about that. I have met your O-Hime before and nothing much pleases him."

"Him?"

Oh well. The cat was out of the bag. "Your O-Hime-san is a great and powerful Youkai lord… I think he may have angered Ben… The Lady… in some fashion."

"But O-Hime-sama is so beautiful..." Mika gasped.

Kagome pulled a face. "Yes. Life isn't fair."

"No matter who O-Hime is tomorrow morning you shall wake her and we shall be able to go home." Mayu-san was pragmatic. "Come Purinsu-san, we have a futon for you."

~o0o~

Kagome lay under the light quilt and listened in the darkness. Most of the dwarves semed to have fallen asleep immediately but a soft whispering reached her.

"I will miss you Mayu-san."  
"Sleep Mika-chan. We all have families to go back to."

"Oyasumi"

"Oyasumi child."

If this wasn't a dream then these were real people. And they were relying on her to get them back to where they belonged. The thought gave Kagome no comfort. Though it did allow her some degree of resolve.

~o0o~

The morning saw Kagome standing on the dais by the glass coffin again. Toro held her horse and the other six dwarves stood in a line beside him, waiting.

Shizu, Toro, Kougi and Jiro had moments ago lifted the lid from the coffin.

It was her turn now.

Taking a deep breath Kagome leant in over the still figure. At least her first kiss was long gone… for all the good it had done her then.

Sesshoumaru's eyes flew open and Kagome recoiled from the rage in them, as she staggered back they glazed and then drifted shut again as if her proximity had allowed him to wake briefly.

She sank to her knees.

"Oh Gods...."

Steeling herself Kagome pulled herself up the side of the glass coffin and to her feet once more. She was terribly aware, not only of the unconscious Taiyoukai but also of her audience. All seven dwarves were arrayed behind her, clutching their hands and waiting for their 'Purinsessu' to wake so they could go home.

Taking a deep breath Kagome leaned in again brushing her hair behind her ears with a hand and trying not to think about what she was about to do. As she did so her eyes fell on the apple placed inside the coffin, on the small bite taken from it. Rational thought kicked in and she straightened abruptly.

She wasn't a prince. He wasn't a princess. Where was the rule that said it had to be a kiss that woke him? She had assumed it. 'Assumptions and donkeys' as one of her English teachers had been fond of stating.

The character in the story choked on a piece of apple. What should a modern girl do for someone choking?

She was not going to follow along with this stupid story if there was another way. Kagome clenched her fists together in a volleyball grip and thumped down with all her might on the Taiyoukai's sternum.

Sesshoumaru exhaled with a bark and the piece of apple shot past Kagome's ear like an arrow. He sucked in a great mouthful of air and sat up. Kagome stumbled backwards as he looked around, taking in her, the dwarves, the surroundings and finally, looking down, the clothing he was wearing.

Kagome cleared her throat, her question addressed, more or less, to the youkai lord. "Uh.. What happened?"

"The spell is broken!" One of the dwarves exhaulted and the others chimed in, clapping. "The purinsessu is woken. The spell is broken. O-hime-sama has..."

Sesshoumaru lanced them with a glare at the title, youki rolled off him like thunder-clouds and the air smelled of ozone. All of the dwarves flung themselves face down in obeisance.

"Thankyou Purinsu-sama." Mayu called and then, rapidly and with a musical "_Glock!_", like that of a Shishi Odoshi, they vanished, leaving Kagome alone with the Taiyoukai lord.

~o0o~

* 鹿威し (しし おどし) Shishi Odoshi or deer scarer was originally used by Japanese farmers to scare deer and boar away from their rice crops.

_**End note: **and so it begins... _


	4. For the Want of a Horse

**Disclaimer:** I do hereby disclaim all rights and responsibilities for the characters in this story, and for any fable or fairytale they maim in their wanton way as they strive to get back to where they belong. Rumiko Takahashi created them, I just drop them into worlds where they shouldn't exist.

~Chapter 4 - For the Want of a Horse~

Kagome thought about running in the same sort of dismissive way a rabbit might have thought about running as the twin headlights of the truck of destiny bore down upon it. The thought peeped frantically from somewhere at the back of her head but could not muster the volume to regain her attention from the terror before her. Morbid fascination kept her eyes glued to the Taiyoukai as he gracefully rose from the coffin like some frightening combination of a vampire and woodland nymph.

Sesshoumaru's brief glance assessed her and dismissed her just as fast. He ran a claw across the fabric of his skirt as if to slice at it. The fabric rustled slightly but showed no mark he abandoned the attempt and turned his hand to removing the gorgeous strata of jeweled ornaments through his hair, efficiently stripping them off and dropping them contemptuously on the ground. His hair was loose again, though no less silky for it's time in captivity.

All of this was done swiftly, without a sound but for the occasional tinkle as an ornament bounced off the dais. Kagome drew back slightly as she felt his youki gather, but he merely crouched very slightly and jumped. The leap that would have normally sent him skyward and out of sight in seconds merely landed him on the grass a few meters from her. The moment before his feet left the ground Kagome had felt his youki compressed down, as if by a great invisible hand, preventing it from carrying him.

"Hn." Sesshoumaru's brow furrowed slightly as he straightened. He did not bother looking her again but turned and walked away from her and the dais. Kagome knew she should be grateful to be ignored and not flayed alive, but her inner-kindergartener remained resentful.  
_Hey! I broke the spell on you! A little gratitude wouldn't kill._  
The rational part of her brain, fortunately, kept a grip on her tongue and she watched in silence as the demon lord, trailing his long green skirts, strode across the clearing and disappeared into the trees.

"Well!" Kagome snorted. "I think I can file this under 'very random'." She turned and had taken the first step in walking back to the horse when Sesshoumaru stumbled out of the forest again from another direction, briefly tripping on his skirts as if something had pushed him from behind.

'Eh? I guess I'm not the only one having troubles… really all things considered I'm doing pretty well,' Kagome thought as she watched the Taiyoukai's expression, which had been so neutral from waking, betrayed a trace of anger and vexation. Turning on his heel he turned and stalked back into the forest and was gone again… for about a minute and a half. Then his youki flared from the other side of the glade and he was back this time approaching from another direction.

Sesshoumaru stopped again when he saw her and his nostrils flared. Kagome decided to take a chance and scooped up the horse's reins, leading it over to the Taiyoukai.

"Uh… Sesshoumaru-sama… I myself arrived on this horse… Perhaps if ridden…" Kagome offered lamely. Sesshoumaru eyed her down his nose then looked at the horse. His youki flared again and Kagome felt goosebumps rise – but the horse did not seem to care. He took the reins from her hand and in one smooth motion Sesshoumaru had set foot in the stirrup and gracefully swung up into the saddle, contemptuous of the skirts. They settled fetchingly over the horse's rump and Kagome averted her eyes briefly to avoid the stony dignity of the demon-lord in lace petticoats.

"I… I kind of hoped I might come…." Kagome trailed off at the Taiyoukai, with the additional height of the horse cast a withering glance down at her.

He flicked the reins and… the horse didn't move. Its four feet planted as firm as if it were a statue. A warning growl resonated from Sesshoumaru but the horse for all intents and purposes stood as if frozen. Sesshoumaru's attempt to slash at its flank with his talons but made no impression. Not mark on the glossy white rump of the animal, the sharp edges of his claws just glanced off.

Kagome took a step forward and poked the horse in the neck with a finger, fully expecting it to feel cold and hard as marble. The animal bent its head down to lip at her hand and nickered softly.

Sesshoumaru let at tight breath out through his nose and collared Kagome, slinging her over the saddle in front of him in one smooth motion. She squeaked with alarm and the moment her weight settled, sack-like across its shoulders, the horse willingly stepped forward.

~o0o~

The forest seemed to be changing again. They were on a distinct track and had been for some time.

It had become evident that the horse now wouldn't move without the both of them on their back. Sesshoumaru had nudged Kagome off again as soon has the horse had begun moving and the beast had frozen again before she had even finished slithering to the ground. She hoped it was some kindness on his part that had prompted to push her feet first rather than face first off the horse's shoulder. He had relented then and allowed her to sit astride behind him rather than across the horse's neck like a dead animal. They had been travelling a few hours now and it certainly wasn't comfortable. Kagome sat in behind the saddle and, not daring to touch the august figure before her, had to settle for trying to grip the raised back of the saddle through the voluminous fabric of Sesshoumaru's skirt.

She was beginning to wonder if they would still be riding when it got dark when there was a scuttling ahead and a strange, cat-bird like growl from beneath their mount's front feet. With a squeal of surprise the horse bucked then launched itself forward, pig-rooting for all it was worth. Kagome, who had moments before been relaxed enough to release her grip from the saddle cantle, tumbled sideways and downhill into a stand of ferns as the horse bolted off with its elegantly dressed rider hauling uselessly on the reins.

Kagome lay stunned in the undergrowth for some minutes, concentrating on breathing and moving her toes and fingers. Finally convinced she wasn't broken anywhere she untangled herself from the fronds spitting leaves and curses with alternating breaths. Her jacket was torn and her elbow ached with the ferocity that promised a beautiful bruise later. Scrambling back up the bank to the road she found no sign of the horse beyond hoof prints. Whatever had prevented it from letting Sesshoumaru ride off with it before evidently didn't hold true now.

No… something else had been left behind.

A single glass sequined slipper lay in the middle of the path, far to big for Kagome or any woman she knew personally. There was no need to guess from whom's foot it had fallen.

Kagome snorted wryly as she picked up the shoe with two fingers. It twinkled fetchingly at her. She recognized the reference straight away and now had some inkling of what the strange lady had been rummaging for in her head. Neither of these stories would be known in the feudal era. It sort of made sense that gaps in her memory regarding details, of say western architecture, would be filled in with Japanese equivalents. It made for a weird pantomime mix of costumes and location. The reason why it was happening was a different kettle of fish all together.

"This really isn't funny you know!" Kagome announced to the air as she looked around. There wasn't an iota of an aura to indicate someone was watching but she was certain that all this wasn't going unobserved. "If the gods truly do have a sense of humor its not a nice one nor a very comprehensible one." Kagome muttered, weighing the shoe in her hand thoughtfully. "How anyone could expect Sesshoumaru to tolerate being a Cinderella… At least as Snow White he was unconscious."

She turned the shoe over in her hands. I don't know where I am… I don't know why I'm here. I don't even know if Sesshoumaru knows what is going on… I don't know what to do… except I know these stories and he doesn't… Maybe he won't kill me if I can help find us a way home…

"No point in standing around waiting to be rescued… looks like I'm the rescuee again… somehow." her vocal perambulations trailed off… briefly.

"Maybe Karma is calling for payback. I get rescued a lot by Inuyasha and the others. I suppose it's my turn to rescue someone else..." Though Sesshoumaru was the last person she would expect to needing rescuing.

The trail was easy enough to follow and Kagome did, setting a brisk pace along the road. At each in the road or curve in the path, that she sped up a little, hoping she would see Sesshoumaru or the horse. Optimism waned after the eighth bend and she settled into a dependable plod. Within the first two hours Kagome realised she was wearing footwear far more suited to riding than walking and by the end of the third hour she had at least one blister. The boots looked beautiful but they were excruciatingly uncomfortable.

The sky began darkening, at first Kagome thought it was night approaching, then fat raindrops began to spatter on the dust of the road. She briefly contemplated seeking shelter under a tree until the rain passed but paranoid of falling further behind she decided to press on. The rain was quite warm, almost tropical… though her clothing didn't seem to like being wet. As the rain got heavier her jacket really began to sag and lengthen. At first she thought it was just to do with the weight of the water but as she watched her clothing began to melt in the rain, changing from a prince's lavish costume into a woman's road worn travelling dress.

Kagome now wore skirts that were plain and a little patched but serviceable and, mercifully her footwear had changed too and, for all the scuffs, was sound and comfortable. The blister on her heel remained but at least the sharp seams that had been rubbing were gone.

As her costume settled into its new form the rain let up and true night darkened the sky. Ahead lights began to twinkle: human habitation, and nearby. Kagome looked ruefully at the skirts, she still had the slipper… maybe she was expected to be Cinderella… though she'd need another shoe if that were to be the case. A sudden cold wind whipped up behind her, making her wet skirt plaster itself against her legs, as if to hasten her on the way. Chilled Kagome obliged, wishing she had some idea of what was expected of her.

~o0o~

A thoroughly wet and frozen Kagome knocked on the door of the inn and tried to wring some of the water out of her sleeves as she waited.

There was no answer... though she could hear voices inside.

She knocked louder, barking her knuckles on the solid wood of the door. There was the sound of a chair scraping back and footsteps then the door opened, revealing the common room of the inn and three or so other people watching her in curiosity. Kagome blushed with embarrassment: The door hadn't been locked and most would have just let themselves in rather than knock and expect to be escorted. She felt her cheeks glow and looked at the floor.

"I'm very sorry. I wasn't sure if you were open…" Stupid stupid stupid… "I am lost and can't find my friends…" The words and tone of her own voice sounded dreadfully childish to Kagome even as she said the words. She sounded so pathetic, she could almost hear the underspoken tone of 'I am just a little girl. Please look after me.' and it appalled her.

"What sort of inn would be closed on a night like this? Come in Little Miss. There's a blaze in the fireplace. Can I get you anything?"

Kagome's stomach growled and she dropped her gaze again surprised by the loudness of the noise. Her fingers, fiddling with the fabric of her skirts found she had a small bag of coins half hidden in the folds. It had been some time since the breakfast with the dwarves. If she hadn't been so intent on catching up with Sesshoumaru she would have noticed how hungry she had become. At least now she had the opportunity to get food.

"Please – Would you have hot soup? Or a stew? I am very hungry…" Kagome trailed off, horrified at how meek and feeble she was sounding. She couldn't meet anyone in the room's eyes. Where the hell was her usual confidence. She felt shabby. Perhaps that was it. For some reason she felt like she should be in better array than she was. For some reason it had made her self-conscious. Which was stupid. She'd faced all manner of people in a tattered school uniform without this mortification.

Self consciously she shuffled over to the fireplace, avoiding eye contact and staring at the floor. The place was amazingly clean. The stones were freshly scoured and Kagome swore she could see the gleam of youki across the cobbled floor – as if their surface had been scalded clean by sheer demonic force. The thought made her uncomfortable, as did the fact she was dripping muddy water all over them.

The few glances she had snuck told her that this inn also had the same strange jumble of Japanese and Western furniture as the dwarves cottage –as if someone had seen an illustration of a European inn and filled in all the blank areas with familiar objects. The effect was slightly disorienting. Trying to block out the sympathetic glances of the other customers Kagome stood as close to the fire as she could stand and surreptitiously checked what sort of money she had and how much.

~o0o~

The demure young woman stood by the fire. Her comely manners set her apart from any other traveler that had visited the inn before. As the innkeeper watched her dripping at the hearth he noted the twinkle of the firelight off the slipper the girl had tucked her arm. The high quality cut and fabric of her dress under the patches and road grime. Highborn if not related to royalty by her carriage… Strange that she be out alone at night though.

His wife in the kitchen too had seen the glister of diamond on the shoe. She accosted him when he came to the kitchen to fetch the girl's meal.

"Husband! She may be a princess in disguise. Think of the wealth we could gain if we returned her to her family, or better yet married her to one of our sons…" She ladled a large serving of stew out, her voice shrill with excitement. Her husband was not so convinced.


	5. Of Peas and Porridge

**Disclaimer:** I do hereby disclaim all rights and responsibilities for the characters in this story as par usual jam jar of necessities. [Opens jam-jar, makes peanut paste and jam sammich. noms.]

~Chapter 5 Of Peas and Porridge~

Kagome had been ushered up the stairs to the largest bedroom. The inn-keepers wife had refused to take her coins and had insisted that Kagome accept their hospitality for the night. Kagome had found this a a little unnerving. The woman was just a little too friendly, a little too subservient, a little too eager to please. Surreptitiously Kagome shifted the hiding place of her purse and tried to tuck the sparkling shoe a little deeper into the shadowy folds of her skirt.

After what had been a glorious (plain but filling and moreover warm!) meal the woman had ushered Kagome upstairs, past many other doors to one with an actual door handle and even a key. Even as Kagome stepped into the best bedroom of the establishment the inn-wife bowed, stepped backwards, quietly closed the door and, from the receding sounds, disappeared downstairs again. Kagome was left alone gazing up at the main feature of the room.

A broad wooden base, carved with sweet pea blossoms on the tailboard was set in the middle of the room. Where a single mattress would have normally rested on the bed base there was a tall stack of japanese futons instead. A thick quilt was draped over the top and bank of pillows was just visible from where she stood. A small ladder stood nearby, just tall enough for a person to scramble up on top of the pile of bedding.

"That bed seriously has too many mattresses to not be some sort of plot device…" Kagome eyed the structure. The concept was familiar but fatigue muddled her memory. Casting about the room Kagome decided on compromise.

Digging her heels into the floor boards she dragged a heavy wooden chest in front of the door. Satisfied that she'd at least some warning of intrusion Kagome stripping out of her wet dress and, in the white undergown she found herself to be wearing underneath, Kagome scaled the ladder and flopped onto the bed, fully ready to sleep…

And found she couldn't.

No matter how she rolled and twisted on the stack of futons she couldn't get comfortable. It was like something was poking her in the ribs with a sharp finger. She would sit up and run her hands over the mattress where she had been lying and it was as smooth and soft as it should be. But as soon as she lay down again there would be a lump. Not just a lump – but A Lump.

"Fine! I won't sleep up here. Japanese people have got it right. One futon and a bit of tatami* is best!" With a growl of defiance Kagome ignored the ladder and jumped to the ground, hauling the top futon and a quilt down with her to remake it on the floor. There she slept fine.

~o0o~

It was the combination of the strident crowing of a rooster beneath her open window and the savory smell of cooking rice, that eventually rouse the sleeping girl. Kagome took one glance at the pre-dawn sky out the window and attempted to burrow deeper under the covers. The insistent snarl of her stomach finally convinced her to roll out of bed and don her damp clothing again.

Halfway through pulling her shoes she on noticed that the chest she had used to block the door had returned it's the original position. The scuff marks remained from where she had pulled it across the floor but there were none in the other direction.

"I'm sure you're trying to infer something. But I refuse to play whatever the game is," Kagome muttered, reaching to open the door and find breakfast… only to find the door locked.

The day was still very early and perhaps the innkeepers wife had locked the door from the outside to keep her safe from the other patrons… But Kagome was suddenly uncomfortable with being trapped in the room. The window was wide open and a glance out showed she was two storey's up from the stable yard… feeling like a clichéd character in a detective novel she set to collecting her bed linens.

Tying the blankets together Kagome decided to err on the side of caution and threw a few futon out the window before she attempted to clamber down the makeshift rope. Her knots held until she was dangling about a metre from her goal, about then her inexpertly attempted knots slithered open and she descended with more haste and less grace to the ground. Kagome bouncing off the mattress to stumble across the dusty packed earth of the courtyard and almost to the feet of the kitchen-hand that was drawing water from the well.

Kagome self consciously coffed a mote of dust from her lungs and began to rise, dusting herself off, but froze.

It wasn't some grubby kitchen skivvy standing before her but Sesshoumaru, stony faced. He was wearing the rags of a serving girl and his glorious long hair was tied back out of the way with a scrap of cloth. Even as she watched he mechanically lifted a bucket of water from the well and, in a strangely robotic fashion, stiffly turned and walked back towards the kitchen, his eyes the only thing he seemed able to control – and they shot daggers at Kagome. She hesitated then, looking around the empty courtyard and seeing no one else, she hastened to follow him inside.

The kitchen, like the rest of the inn had the stones scrubbed raw. Glittering pots and kettles in brass and tin shone on the walls. A great vat of porridge glugged quietly in a ceramic pot on the cinders.

In the middle of the floor, the bucket of water by his side, Sesshoumaru, already scrubbing the floor. A small pile of ruined scouring brushes lay abandoned in a corner. Most of them were worn down to the wood - a couple had the indents of claw marks and at least two were partially melted, as if by acid.

"Human, you hound me," Sesshoumaru hissed between gritted teeth, not looking up. "Is it not enough that I am forced to perform menial tasks without an audience also." His brush whisked across the cobbles with unhuman force, youki raged around him like a fire to Kagome's senses.

"Please… please stop that," Kagome stuttered. "stop scrubbing.. please."

Sesshoumaru froze then straightened as if a weight had been lifted from him and flung the scrubbing brush away as hard as he could. The small piece of wood and bristles struck the wall with a sharp crack and was reduced to a splintered bundle that tumbled to the floor.

Kagome could almost feel the compulsion to clean up the new mess tugging at Sesshoumaru even before the last of the fragments of the brush had fluttered to the cobbles. Hastily she stooped and picked up the pieces.

"Could… would you like me to make some tea?" She brushed the pieces from her hands into the fireplace, avoiding looking at the Taiyoukai.

"On the table. It is already made." Sesshoumaru's voice was flat. "As is the breakfast for the Inn."

"Oh… would you like some?" As carefully as she could Kagome edged around Sesshoumaru to the well scrubbed kitchen table and the teapot.

Not waiting for an answer she poured two cups out, trying not to spill more than necessary. Tea leaves tumbled out of the spout on the second cup. Morosely Kagome placed the cup of tea near the Taiyoukai and took the cup of leaves for herself, sipping around the vegetation.

"Um… Do you still have the shoe? Um the silvery one? I think I know how to get us out of… well out of where we are."

The taiyoukai looked distainfully at the cup and wrinkled his nose very slightly. Kagome took another sip of her own and resisted pulling a face. It was bitter and tepid, not worth drinking. She pushed it away and tried again.

"Sesshoumaru-sama I believe this place, and where we were before are based stories…" Kagome took a deep breath and pressed on, emboldened by the fact Sesshoumaru appeared to be listening. "Stories that come from a land far further away than China. There are certain things that come to pass before those stories end… like the person in the glass coffin waking up. I believe the two silver shoes need to be reunited before…" '_they live happily ever after' was a bit nebulous. _"…before either of us can escape this place."

Sesshoumaru stood silent a moment then turned and reached up on top of one of the cupboards and withdrew a slipper.

Even as Kagome began to breathe a sigh of relief at seeing it she realized that she had forgotten to bring it's twin with her.

"Ah No! The other slipper! I left it up in the room!" She turned with haste, kicking over his bucket, splashing the soapy water across the floor

There was a sharp intake of breath, then a growl of irritation from Sesshoumaru and he grabbed her wrist, swiftly dragging her from the room and up a small servants stairs.

Held in a vice like grip Kagome bumbled along behind Sesshoumaru, tripping on every third step as he hastened up the stairway. While his feet made no sound on the wooden steps Kagome's tread coaxed every single squeak, squeal and creak from the timber. She yelped as the taiyoukai almost lifted her the last few steps, up and out into the hall way.

Kagome tried to prise his fingers from her wrist as they barreled towards her room.

"The door is loc.." Without loosing momentum Sesshoumaru's barefoot connected solidly with the door and it bounced open and he strode through, towing her behind him. The taiyoukai was nearly panting now with the effort of fighting the compulsion to return to clean the kitchen.

Kagome snatched up her slipper from where it had sat, forgotten, on the side table and passed it to Sesshoumaru.

He stood there a moment, clutching both shoes, then released a slow, relieved breath. Kagome could almost see the cleaning curse lift from the taiyoukai and his normal mask slip back into place. His grip on the footwear subtly changed into a fastidious pinch and he held them slightly away from himself. Kagome didn't blame him. In daylight they did look rather garish.

There was an awkward silence as they both waited for something more to happen – Some sort of sparkling noise Kagome thought, like the one that heralded a turning of the page in a children's audio book.

She cleared her throat and noticed Sesshoumaru nudging her makeshift bed on the floor with a toe.

"There was something weirdly lumpy about the bed," Kagome explained as Sesshoumaru's eyes flick over the mattress and blanket on the floor. "I couldn't sleep on it."

"Hnn." The Taiyoukai reached into the pile of mattresses with the same sharp movement Kagome had seen him plunge his hand into the bodies of enemies. When his slender fingers emerged, neatly scissored between them was a small red bean.

"An Azuki* bean?!" Kagome leaned in to look at it. "Is that why I couldn't sleep? That tiny thing?"  
A suspicion formed. "How did you know it was there?"

Sesshoumaru's glowered slightly and the air around him crackled somewhat with repressed fury. "I was instructed to put it there when they had me bring in the futons."

"Azuki beans are legumes…" Kagome said as pieces began to fall into place regarding the mattresses. "Same as peas…"

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow and contemptuously flicked it out the window.

"It is of no importance to me." He thrust the slippers towards her. "Here is the other shoe. You will remove us from this story-place now and return This Sesshoumaru to where he belongs."

Kagome thought frantically through the Cinderella story in her head. Should she try putting the shoes on… or get him to? "I think…"

The ground shivered then bucked beneath their feet. The beams of the roof shuddered, raining down particles of thatch. There were outraged and frightened cries from and Kagome clung on to the side of the bed, narrowly missing being buried in futons as they tumbled down.

An Earthquake?!....

~o0o~

* 畳 Tatami - woven rice straw mats used as traditional flooring. Room size is sometimes measured by the number of tatami mats, though the size of the mats varies regionally.

*アズキ Azuki beans, _Vigna angularis._ Commonly eaten as a sweet dish.


	6. A Higher Perspective

**Disclaimer:** I do hereby disclaim all rights and responsibilities for the characters as might be expected of a person who didn't write this. No the penguins did it all. I was innocent yer honour!

~Chapter 6 - A Higher Perspective~

By the time Kagome had picked herself up off the floor leafy green fronds were curled about the window. As if watching a time-delay film leaves budded, unfurled and grew. Outside something loomed up, casting a great shadow across the front of the building.

There was no noise but the urgent rustle of vegetation as it made its way upwards. Kagome turned, Sesshoumaru was gone.

There was the bang of a sliding door being thrown open downstairs and the slap of feet hurrying across the floorboards.

"Where is that wretched scullery maid!? The O-kyaku* has burned to the bottom of the pot and there is no sign of her!"

"What is this fuss?" another voice responded, muzzy as if just woken. "She cannot have gone far. That lady who sold her to me her said she had a Kyousai* cast on her that would keep her tied to cleaning the inn until someone gave her clothing. There is no one here that would make that mistake. No one except perhaps..."

There was a pause and Kagome drew back from the doorway. The light glittered off the pair of slippers where they had fallen amidst the remains of her bedroom door. Shoes were a sort of clothing…. Kagome wondered if this wasn't Cinderella after all….

"The princess? She wouldn't stir downstairs would she?" Kagome froze at the innkeepers remark.

Another voice joined in this one coarse in his language.  
"I think your 'princess' may have done a runner. I found futons and a rope of blankets down under the window just moments before that happened."

"What?! She's gone? And "that" is?" There was a shuffle of feet and the sound of of a door being flung open.

"That is THAT!"

"Aizen Myoo* keep us safe!"

"What witchery is this?!" The voices decended into a frightened babble and Kagome to looked out the window, leaning out to look up. Outside a giant vine rose up into the sky, its broad leaves a vibrant green.

"There she is! The princess is still here."  
Kagome glanced down. The innkeeper, his wife and a rough looking man were all craning their heads up to look at her.

"Is this your doing?" the innkeepers wife shrieked. "Ruining our yard and scaring our patrons. And after we give you the best bed in the house and feed you. Fetch her down Tamino-San!"

The burly man made a noise of consent and ran into the house. Kagome spared a desperate glance back at the smashed door of her room then clambered up onto the windowsill. The sound of heavy footsteps approaching on the stair made her gather her courage and she leapt for the vine, grabbing at the thick curlique of branches and scrambling up onto the main stem.

There was an angry shout from behind Kagome that seemed to be whipped away by the wind. She risked a quick glance down and, with a unpleasant thrill of vertigo, found she could no longer see the ground. Then she was engulfed in a cloud bank and everything was hazed with fog. There was a wind sweeping downwards around her and Kagome realized that the vine was still growing, whisking her up through the clouds and into the sky with it. At least there was smaller chance of Tamino continuing after her…

Kagome was glad of her lack of shoes as she began climbing up the vine. Her skirts hampered her until she tucked them hems up into her bloomers and knotted the rest of the skirts up behind her. The multiple trunks of the vine were at least twice her girth and coiled around one another with almost ladder like regularity making her ascent almost comfortable.

It seemed a remarkably short amount of time before the vine began to thin and the cloud above her, a long flat plane of white neared. Kagome could almost imagine the vine reshaping itself to suit her. Perhaps it was.

With a wariness that was paired with a strange sense of confidence Kagome clambered from the vine onto the solid 'ground' of the clouds. Fog swirled about her ankles but her fingertips found soil half hidden by the wisps of cloud. Relieved by this at least she straightened up and surveyed her surroundings.

In the distance was a grey stone castle, huge, even at this distance. Kagome straightened her skirts and used a piece of ribbon picked from her bodice to pull back her hair with the grim concentration of a general putting on his war helmet.

She knew this story. Knew it quite well. Less than a month ago she had helped Souta translate it from English for a class project. Azuki were beans. Giants had castles in the clouds. Now she was looking for a bag of gold, a gold egg laying hen and a magic harp.

~o0o~

Sesshoumaru dropped the shoes as the floorboards under his feet bucked and strove to keep his balance through the quake. The talons of his toes sank into the woodwork in an effort to maintain stability.

Around him his own Youki still swirled free, boiling off him, close as his skin and yet as heedless of his command as if he were attempting to harness a wave with a cobweb. And how he raged back and forth between rage and shame for his lack of control over something so inherently his own. Another heave of the floor sent him flying backward, unable to call on his youki to control control his flight Sesshoumaru braced himself for the impact with the far wall, knowing even as he did that he would likely pass through it leaving rubble in it's path with little injury to himself. It was the dust that made him blink, more so than the impact, thrown up by the crumbling of the plaster and stone beneath him. The fine powder caught in his eyes, he blinked and... woke.

There was a bleary sense of disorientation. The scent... no stink of feathers and the strong odour of man. Of stone and metals, burlap and stale ashes. The scent of the inn and the girl were gone. Then there was a forceful jab to his midrift. Sesshoumaru opened his eyes to find himself upright, a huge finger poked him again and a voice rumbled from above.

"Wake and Sing now."

Sesshoumaru's first instinct, to slice off the offending digit which was easily as broad as his own torso, was hampered by his inability to move his arms. Seething he glanced down and saw he was now in a very formal kimono. Each layer of fabric was beaten gold, silver and steel engraved rather than embroidered with patterns. Elaborate, hampering, Women's kimono. Again. Sesshoumaru's eyes burned red and he struggled to free himself from the robes that bound him upright. A soft stirring of strings behind him hummed faintly and musically as the structure he was bound to juddered and shook beneath his struggles

The huge finger poked at him again.

"Sing Harp. For I want music."

Sesshoumaru snarled and snapped at the finger that was swiftly removed.

"If you will not sing then you'd best sit in the dark until your temper improves." Sesshoumaru found himself lifted and swept across the room. Such was his fury he barely noticed the giant table he was lifted from, nor the huge cupboard until a door was slid open, he was placed inside and the door snapped shut again, leaving him in darkness.

~o0o~

*お粥 (おかゆ) O-kayu is a thin rice gruel or porridge.

*強制 (きょうせい) Kyousei – obligation or compulsion. I can't for the life of me find the Japanese version of 'geas' if there exists such a thing. If anyone knows better I would love to know! There is a doom cast on Sesshoumaru – in the old fashion of the word. Being tied in with fate and destiny.

愛染明王 (あいぜんみょうおう) Aizen Myoo, god of love, worshipped by prostitutes, landlords, singers and musicians. Like most of the gods I touch upon through this tale he was originally an Indian god and comes from the Buddhist pantheon.

Authors note: Well this bit ran away with me. When Sesshoumaru threw the bean out the window I realised where it *might go* - then other snippets kept coming in thick and fast. This is about half of the chapter I started. Then I decided to split it so I have something for next week too. And because it's going to get longer. I didn't know how to do this bit and then it started writing itself. As always, comments, grammatic flubs, spelling, literary crits and whatnot most appreciated if pointed out.


	7. Ashchild and Introversion

**Disclaimer:** I do hereby disclaim all rights and responsibilities for the characters, as I have in all previous chapters.

~Chapter 7 - Ashchild and Introversion~

Sesshoumaru sat in the darkness and scowled. All his attempts to break free of the kimono that bound him to the strange stringed instrument had been in vain. His youki still broiled around him like a mist, no amount of willpower could wrestle it back to where it belonged: tightly restrained at the core of his self.

Lacking anything else to do with himself Sesshoumaru settled down to brood.

He had first regained consciousness from his encounter with the tall lady to find himself lying sprawled on a finely manicured lawn.

Sesshoumaru had launched himself to his feet ready to face whatever enemy had temporarily incapacitated him. He had immediately stepped on the hem of his outfit and had to stagger to regain his balance. A glance informed him that his customary kosode and hakama were gone – instead he was wearing some strange pale grey silk outfit that fitted his torso but flared out into skirts that trailed on the ground. He ran a claw across the fabric, intending to cut it higher so he could move freely. The fabric slid unharmed beneath his talons. He tried grabbing bunches of it and tearing, the fabric resisted easily. Sesshoumaru was uncertain whether the fabric was enchanted or somehow his strength sapped.

Frowning he had kicked off the ground, intending to take to the sky to find his way home. And he fell. Not since he had been a very young child had he been unable to maintain flight. A surprised noise caused him to turn snarling. A small woman, a very small woman, who bowed hastily before turning and running away.

She had returned with the rest of the dwarves shortly and so had begun the month and a portion of his incarceration in The Orchard.

Any time Sesshoumaru had so much as thought of harming the small people the air around him had thickened and weighed down on him until he was unable to stir. These fits had distressed the dwarves and they had taken them for spells of fainting, carrying him back to their cottage each time and bathing his wrists and face.

His fury against them had dissipated within the first few days. They, for their part, had treated him with utmost reverence. At first they had offered him food and music, then had respectfully stopped as quickly when he had showed his disinterest. They left him to himself then and he had found himself at leisure to wander the gladed areas of the Orchard.

As with the endless forest he found could not leave the area. Trees and ground he destroyed by hand would return to their former state as soon as he looked away. He was trapped in illusion. And then one of the ever-blossoming apple trees had fruited. The rich, amber warm fragrance of the apples had tweaked at his nose invitingly. He had not eaten in over a month, youkai of his caliber rarely needed to eat. Sesshoumaru usually drew sustenance from the wild surrounding him… but he was trapped in a cultivated place and the apples smelled so very appetizing. So at last he had plucked an apple, green and red, and set it to his teeth and taken a bite…

The juice had been tart and sweet, the flesh crisp. But no sooner had he tried to swallow that first small mouthful than he felt it lodge in his throat. He had no chance to draw breath or attempt to cough. Spots had flickered before his eyes then nothing until that candle flicker of conciousness and the human woman's face, then her thump of fist dislodging of the apple.

She had guessed the horse was the key to escaping the orchard. Or had she. She had not smelled of deceit.. And yet…

After the horse bolted he had, failing in his attempts to rein in the beast, attempted to leap from the saddle. His skirts had again hindered him. Somehow becoming caught beneath the saddle.

Then the rain had come. Rain so heavy he could not see the horse's neck before him, and with those waters the horse seemed to fade under him, sinking with him into the mud of the road, an invisible weight pressing down on him as relentlessly as his own youki had quelled lesser demons in the past.

There had been the hum of voices around him but the strange fatigue of limb had kept Sesshoumaru prone, at first too tired to summon strength from anger. Then the force had lifted and he finally managed to push up himself up onto his hands - only to find himself lying on cobbles in a grubby kitchen, clad in rags. A bucket of soap water steamed next to him and scrubbing brushes were arrayed beside it, awaiting use.

"Haiko!*" A foot had kicked and he snarled in response, had half risen ready to lay open the leg that had touched him. A sharp spasm had run through every muscle, making him briefly and painfully rigid before passing, leaving him weak. Even as he began to draw breath to attempt again to rend his foe another convulsion ran through him, squeezing the air from his lungs and leaving him weak, trembling and furious. The thickening of the air that had hindered him with the dwarves had been kind in comparison to this.

"Haiko – scrub the floors," a human woman's voice commanded. "I want the kitchen done, then the main room, then the bedrooms and taproom. When you are done the beds must all be made, the water drawn for the kitchen and the cellar swept for cobwebs. Get to it."

A brush had been kicked before Sesshoumaru and, against his will, he had found his hand take the object, dip it in the water and begin scouring. He had had no more control over his actions than he had over his youki. He had fought the compulsion with all the success of a newborn kitten in the hands of a young child. It had not been kind to him. Had he been human he would not have been able to finish the work the woman, the innkeepers wife he learned, had set him.

As it was he was not permitted to rest, to sleep. The woman had even informed Sesshoumaru he would not be permitted to eat nor drink until the tasks were done. This had not mattered to him at the time, when his rage against the compulsion had blinded his attention to anything but his hatred of her.  
And the bucket, and brush.

He had no desire for food, nor water, only to rend the base humans who walked around him, tracking in mud and filth as, against his will, he scrubbed floor after floor after floor. He had no pause until the innkeepers wife returned late in the night and told him that could drink from the well bucket when he next fetched water if he liked and then that he must eat the strange stale lump of "Pan*" she threw before him. Her command meant he was forced to tear into the dry stuff, even as he knelt at her feet, damp and filthy from the cleaning, even though he did not wish to eat it.

The foreign food had dried his mouth and nearly made him cough, the coarse seeds in it catching in his teeth and irritating his tongue. He had been almost grateful when she sent him out to fetch more water for the kitchens for it meant he could finally drink. He had lapped down the stale well water, sluicing his mouth and the taste of the 'pan'.

Trapped in the kitchen, as he had been once the Inn's customers had begun filtering into the common room, Sesshoumaru had almost missed the familiar scent of the girl. It was the innkeeper that carried her spoor it in with him, wet and uncertain but distinctly present, along with the remaining scent of that wretched horse. The same human who had been in the glade with the dwarves.

He had not expected to find her so easily the next morning. The kyousei had kept him scrubbing through the night until all of the inn's kitchen utensils, blackened and caked from years of use, were chipped and scoured back to their original shine. The grit from his work having covered the kitchen floor in muck once more he had been forced to collect more water – and then she had fallen at his feet almost as if placed there.

Having the human girl find him in such a state there in the kitchenyard had burned Sesshoumaru with humiliation. Even hatred. None should be permitted to see him so powerless and yet her presence had immediately lead to his escape from the kitchen and from the kyousei. Quietly he admitted that being trapped in the darkness he currently found himself was far preferable to being forced to eat that 'pan' substance again.  
She had said that these traps were all from stories, that she knew them and how to defeat them. Sesshoumaru had known her as a wielder of miko like powers from his encounters with Inuyasha's party but could she use kotodama* as well?

She had know what to do both times he had encountered her. Had understood what was expected. But why?

And she knew his name… while he could not recall hers. That left him at a disadvantage. Even more so as he only had a vague knowledge of what a kotodama wielder was reputed to be capable of. If she had the ability to manipulate their circumstances by words alone it stood in his interest to know her name – if only to find some way to defend himself from her.

A noise from somewhere outside the paulownia* wood panels of the cupboard he heard a noise. Muffled but familiar – a female voice, raised in challenge… She had found him again. And he found himself unsurprised.

~o0o~

*灰子 (はいねこ) Haiko – Ash Child ^_^ My japanglication of cinderella. Imagine it said with contempt.

*Pan (パン) Bread ^_^ Sesshoumaru would not be familiar with it because it wasn't, to my knowledge, present in japan at the time. Benten would have had to create it from Kagome's memory. Kagome obviously isn't too fond of bread. Probably because her mum cooks good traditional food in my universe.

* 言霊 (ことだま) kotodama - refers to the concept of the power in works and names. This is also true for a lot of old western faerie stories where knowing a persons true name gives one control over them.

* 桐 kiri or _Paulownia t__omentosa _wood is used in a vast number of Japanese objects, from shoes and instruments to furniture. Traditionally one would plant a Paulownia tree when a baby girl was born to be made into dowry chest as a wedding gift when she gets married.


	8. Courage of Cups

**Disclaimer:** I do hereby disclaim all rights and responsibilities for the characters, especially the one exerting her inner braggart.

~Chapter 8 - Courage of Cups~

Kagome wriggled again, tearing another long strip out of her outer skirts as she braced a foot on the wall inside the hole and pushed the rest of her way through the crack in the wall. There were fragments of lace and fabric littering the jagged little tunnel through the wall behind her but Kagome had managed to make her way into the castle at last unharmed.

Half an hour before she had stood in front of the entrance to the castle frowning at the great stone steps that lead up to the front door. Each of them was a foot or more taller than she and there were eight of them in total. She had spent several minutes trying to scale the first step. After landing on her rump for the third time she had decided to scout along the edge of the castle rather than try the frontal assault. Within minutes she'd found a huge split between two stones in the wall and at the far end she could see light.

The hall had been both larger and smaller than she expected given the size of the doors. The table-top was almost as tall as a single story house. Kagome was so focused on looking up and about for the giant that she barely managed to catch herself when she stumbled, first stepping on a shred of her ragged skirt then catching her other foot in the folds. Frantically she clutched at the rough wood of the nearest table leg, a tree trunk as thick as a temple pillar. A sharp splinter rasped along the side of her hand like a wood saw and she barked an expletive.

Kagome examined the jagged cuts, picking out the fragments of wood and breathing a word of relief that she'd had a tetanus shot the last time she'd been home. There werehallow knicks all along the back of her wrist, a small trickle of blood ran down her arm and a few drops of blood fell before she managed to stop the flow with a tatter of her skirt.

As the flecks of blood hit the floor there were small sparks – like a senkou hanabi* and a faint scent of temple incense. Kagome drew a sharp breath and held it. She was coming to recognise these plot devices.

A great loud rumbling came from above her and she flattened herself against the nearest massive chair leg as a great voice reverberated out. The pronounciation was almost archaic:

_"Migi, Hidari  
Te to Ashi  
Ore wo ningen no chi de nioi..."_*

There was a loud sniffing noise.

"Onna da?"*

"Doko wa onna desu yo?"

Kagome took a deep breath and pushed herself out from safety. Trying to quash her nerves she strode out into the middle of the room and turned towards the Giant's straw-sandaled feet, each the size of a small kayak. Taking a deep breath and hoping she sounded more confident than she felt Kagome drew up every ounce of arrogance she could muster and replied.

"Ore ha O-Kagome-Sama da!"* She put her hands on her hips and stood with legs akimbo, rolling her R's like a melodramatic movie villain.  
"O-Kagome-Sama who shakes the rain from the clouds for my shower and eat giant snakes for breakfast. Who is this little man who stands in my way?"

"Eh?" the giant grunted and there was a shuffling of feet that had Kagome ready to bolt for safety. Then floor shuddered and the giant knelt to look at her. He was nowhere near as frightening has some of the youkai and oni Kagome had encountered in the past. This giant was just a huge human, and his mildly perplexed expression gave her courage. He did not look like the sort to grind bones or eat bread.

"You tiny woman? What are you?" The giant began to extend a digit to poke at her. Kagome swatted it aside as hard as she could and puffed her chest out, bellowing.  
"I am Higurashi Kagome KA-GO-ME! Do not risk my wrath by misnaming me. I have fought giant centipedes and dog demons for less. Lift me onto your table – You make my neck hurt looking at you Kyoujin*."

There was an incredulous noise from the giant and her heart skipped a beat. Then the giant proffered a palm the size of a small car for her to step onto. He carefully lifted her and she stepped down onto the table, noticing a giant daikon* and other vegetables scattered across the table top along with cutting boards and several knives, each longer than she was tall, many with their blades wrapped in paper.

"I have traveled a long way to visit you Kyoujin-kun. You will of course invite me to sup with you," Kagome demanded, inwardly appalled at her rudeness even as she turned to fix the giant with a sharp gaze. "Such a important guest as myself and you have not even offered me tea let alone rice yet. How Rude! I should tear your nose off for the insult."

The giant fixed her with an uncertain look, wary of the ferocity of his little visitor. "Forgive me O-Kagome-sama. You are welcome to eat at my table. I was about to prepare a meal… though we will need more wood for the fire...."

"Easy!" Kagome lied, mind racing. "Put me on the floor I shall go get wood for your fire."

Cautiously the giant placed her back on the floor and pointed towards the entrance. "There is a dead tree at the edge of my rice field that would do. If you just to the front door you should be able to see it."

Kagome made a show of hitching up her skirts and strode forwards shouting over her shoulder.  
"You had best open the door for me Kyoujin-kun. I do not want to knock it off the hinges when I push it. You may end up having to use it for kindling, such is my strength. And you'd best leave it open so I needn't kick it open on my way back."

Hastily the giant opened the door for Kagome as she strode as fast as she could manage without running out of the room. Steeling herself she lowered herself down the eight steps, the balls of her feet stinging with each impact and headed for the rice field, well aware that the giant would likely be watching.

Taking a deep breath Kagome broke into a slow, controlled trot, heading straight past the dead tree the giant had described, heading for the huge forest she could see in the distance. She counted softly under her breath to the rhythm of her foot fall. She'd made it to forty-five paces when the giant called out to her. "Kagome-sama – the tree is not so far."

Full knowing that she wouldn't be able to should loud enough to be heard at this distance she turned and stood with her arms crossed, an irritated expression on her face. The giant took three paces and was before her.

"You waste my time expecting me to pick up such a piffling little stick. Why that would barely start a fire." Kagome jutted her chin and scowled, rather enjoying the uncertainty on the giants face. She was still afraid but some small part of her reveled in the outrageous farce she was spinning. "I will get us a few trees from the forest – the tall ones in the middle look like they might do."

The giant looked up at the forest with a distressed look. "Kagome-sama my fireplace is not so large as to fit those trees and they will be green and not burn well."

"Fine. You take that little stick back to the kitchen then since you are already here. What else will I do to prove my strength though? I can see you doubt my greatness."

"My herd of cows are fenced just over there. You could carry one in so that I may use it to make supper for us." The giant suggested, pointing out a corral just visible around the side of the castle.

"I shall fetch this meat for us then." Kagome turned as arrogantly as she could and headed in the direction of the fences the giant had indicated. She managed to avoid tripping on anything and as soon as she was out of sight collapsed against the wall and allowed herself a moments panic. She'd bluffed well so far but killing and carrying a whole cow?

She looked across the yard to where the giant kept his cattle. There the animals were only a little larger than normal and seemed placid enough. She poked one of the cows through the fence warily then climbed through. Trying to entice one animal away from the herd proved futile. She knew nothing about the animals, they certainly dindn't fear her and there was no way the animal intended to leave its friends. Remembering the version of the giant story Souta had been confused by Kagome pulled out the rope and began to tie all the cows together by their tails. Having done so she sat and waited some time until she heard the giant approach then hastily rose and pretended to be tying the last knot.

"What are you doing?" the giant asked with a hint of worry in his voice.

"Why one or two animals of this size are barely enough to feed my younger brother," Kagome roared back, trying to sound as loud as he did without effort. "And I did not want to make multiple trips. So I thought I would drag them all in together."

"Ah. Kagome-sama. If you please: I have only these few animals to last me until spring. By your leave I only want to cook one of them"

"Very well. You may pick the one we are to eat. Though I hope there is enough for the both of us," Kagome begrudged, vastly relieved as she untied the cows. The giant selected one of the animals, struck it on the head with his fist and carried the dead animal back to the kitchen in one hand and her in the other.

Kagome stood watching while the giant set to cleaning and gutting the carcass. Left with nothing to do and unable to control her fidgeting she strode forward across the table and addressed the giant.

"Kyoujin-kun I.. this Kagome-sama will cut vegetables for you… if you like," Kagome offered, her own helpful nature briefly over riding the brash persona she had been working so hard at projecting. She worked on keeping her gaze firm as the giant broke apart the carcass with his hands. "Though I have no knife. "

The giant wiped his bloody hands on a cloth and placed a large blade before her and a few carrots that would not be out of place as fence posts. Kagome tied back her sleeves and looked at the blade. Being of a smaller size she could see the edge as if it were magnified and it didn't look very sharp. Its size alone would also make the knife very awkward to cut with.

"Kyojin-kun. This blade of yours is too blunt for vegetables. Have you another?"

The Giant snorted and picked up the knife. Kagome felt her stomach sink as he tested the knife in his thumbnail and her imagination seized on an image of her being split in half by the blade and thrown into the cooking pot with the pieces of cow.

"You are right Kagome-sama. I have not sharpened this in some time. Forgive me… I do have another blade…"

The giant slid open a door in the huge tansu* chest and rummaged about inside. Kagome heard a soft clucking noise briefly before the panel slid shut again and the giant returned, a sword pinched between finger and thumb. He proffered the blade to her carefully as if wary of her striking him.

"This may be sharper Kagome-sama".

"Tensaiga!?" Kagome breathed as she accepted the katana. There was an answering pulse beneath her hand and the tsuka* warmed as if the sword were a living thing. "But Sesshoumaru did not have you the last time I saw him…" Gods but the taiyoukai would have a fit if at the thought of someone using his blade to peel vegetables…

She raised her voice only a little, with the giant still hovering so close Kagome did not need to shout quite so loud.

"Kyojin-kun I know this sword. Where did you get it?"

"A lady visited me with gifts – this fell from her sleeve as she left and she said she had no use for it… is it sharper Kagome-sama? It is so small I could not see its edge clearly."

"I will test it." Kagome picked up a carrot and leant it against the edge of one of the giant bowls on the table. Gripping the sheath in one hand and the hilt in the other she whispered to the sword.

"Okay Tenseiga. You're a blade that gives life… what's more life giving than good food," Kagome rationalised. "In fact my life may be resting on your ability to skin a carrot… I promise I'll clean you properly as soon as it is done if you will help me…"

There was an answering pulse from the sword and Kagome felt her hand tighten on its own. In one smooth motion Tensaiga used her arm to draw itself from the sheath, flicking out in an arc of silver. Her shoulder drew itself into stance and in a blur of motion Tensaiga leapt forward towards its pointy orange foe.

For a heartbeat Kagome instinctively fought to regain control. The blade did not dip or slow, but a buzz jarred through the tsuka reminded her she had asked for this help and she hastily surrendered. The blade, given free rein of her body, made her arc gracefully as she flicked the carrot in the air with her toe, the blade whirling along the skin as a translucent thin layer of the carrot fluttered down like crepe paper. Then Tensaiga leapt out again, slicing the carrot into many parts that bounced down around Kagome. Any piece of carrot that fell near enough to strike her were sliced away negligently by the blade.

There was an indrawn breath of appreciation from the giant who now sat fascinated, hands and chin resting on the table to watch as Tensaiga, apparently enjoying the audience, pulled Kagome in to an elegant saluted then attacked the rest of the vegetables. The life-restoring blade danced Kagome around the table top like a dervish until every piece of vegetable laid out had been prepared. Even the scallions had not escaped and both Kagome and the giant's eyes watered from the frenzy of cutting. The only thing Tensaiga skirted away from was the lumps of meat still sitting on the giant's cutting board.

Finally released from the sword's control Kagome sank to one knee panting. Tensaiga flicked itself clean and sheathed itself in one smooth motion, leaving Kagome sitting in a classic Kabuki mie*. Tensaiga, it appeared, had a taste for the dramatic.

"It is a good blade Kyojin-kun," Kagome shouted as soon as she had breath enough to speak again. Still trembling from the exertion she held the sheathed katana up. Tenseiga seemed to purr somewhat smugly in her hand.  
"As it is too small to be of use to you will be honoured as to grant it to me. Won't you."

The giant did not hesitate. "Kagome-dono… such skill as yours deserves greater reward than a mere sharpened toothpick… Please take it, it is of no use to me."

~o0o~

Inside the tansu Sesshoumaru strained to listen to the conversation between the girl and the giant that occurred outside the wooden cupboard.

He was amazed at the arrogance and bluster of the woman. He had seen her rescued time and again by his half brother and knew she had none of the abilities she claimed. And then she shouted out her name over and over at the giant. As if it were of no importance to her if the world knew it or not._  
Higurashi Kagome. _He would remember it now. She need not know.

The conversation drifted away and then, a half hour later, back again. This Higurashi-Kagome still ordering around the giant as if it were a child.  
His amazement at the giants ready belief in her lies was cut short by the song of Tensaiga as it leapt from its sheath. He had recognised the smell his fathers blade the instant the giant had removed it from the other cupboard compartment. No longer masked by the scent of feathers his inheritance's familiar tang had reached his nostrils. Sesshoumaru ground his teeth at the thought of someone else laying hands on his father's inheritance. As useless as he often deemed it to his own plans. It was HIS. Youki roiled off him again and he quelled the urge to struggle against his bonds and kept listening. Instinct told him that she would be a part of the escape from this tale as well.

~o0o~

*線香花火 (せんこ はなび) Senko Hanabi or "Incense-stick fireworks" are the little hand held sparklers you commonly see children playing with in anime and manga.

*I'm not a fluent speaker of Japanese so this may be completely flupped since I made it up with the intention of it rhyming like the original European version.

Left, right  
Hand and foot  
I smell the blood of a human…  
Woman?"

*"I am the great Kagome!"  
Ore is a masculine form of "I" and less subservient than "boku". Imagine lots of swagger and bluster.

大 人 (きゅょうじん) Kyojin – giant. I stole this from the wonderful manga "Lovely Complex" and their Allstar Hanshin-Kyoujin couple.

大根 (だいこん) Daikon – Japanese raddish. Mmmmm

*箪笥 (たんす) Tansu – traditional cupboard. I bought a step tansu earlier this year and it is the love of my life (I call it O-Sake-sama: because I don't drink I rationalized that the money I spent on it is only some of the money I have saved by not buying alcohol).

*柄 (つか) Tsuka- the handle of a katana.

* Someone rightfully pointed out that Tenseiga means Blade born of Heaven.  
The sword doesn't bring death though so I like my interpretation.

*歌舞伎 (kabuki) A form of theatre, a 見え (めい) mie is a dramatic and powerful pose struck by an actor. Kabuki actually came into existence after the time period Kagome visits but I like the concept of that punctuation-pose. So does Tensaiga.

**Authors Note:** In writing this I realised that Tenseiga is evidently a vegan. In fact we never see Sesshoumaru eat in the movies. Perhaps HE is vegetarian too, hence why he had to be all the more bad-erss to keep up appearances.


	9. Cat's Tongue!

**Disclaimer:** I do hereby disclaim all rights and responsibilities for the characters, though the metal kimono comes from Melanippos Couture, costumes, props and glorious garments. If you have to ask the price then you can't afford my wares.

**Reviews with feedback and critical substance or concept approval would be love**.

~Chapter 9 - Cat's Tongue!~

Kagome finished cleaning the blade as best she could. Inuyasha had never bothered to clean T_etsaiga _so she did the best she could from memories of Sango cleaning her smaller blades. There was the whisk of a huge cloth around her perch on an upturned bowl as the giant brushed the crumbs from the table top and set out the supper dishes.

Politely he placed a great bowl of stew before her and a spoon that could double as a shovel. He himself used chopsticks.

Finishing up with the piece of paper she was using to wipe down Tensaiga's blade Kagome resheathed the sword and tucked it into her waistband. Hopping down from her seat she strode across the table to her supper.

Respectfully the giant requested she eat and sat down across from her.

"I suppose it must suffice. It is fortunate that I am only a little hungry," Kagome bellowed back, her mind racing for how to continue to impress the giant without giving the game away. He sat watching, waiting for her to begin the meal so he too could.

"Itadakimasu…" She picked up the giant wooden spoon with both hands and looked glumly at the vat of food in front of her. The giant sat expectantly. Kagome dipped off a portion and, resting the spoon on the side of the bowl sniffed then sipped it. She scalded her tongue and this brought on an epiphany. Throwing the spoon down she kicked it away from herself.

"Ah! You serve me such cold food?! This is far to cold for me to eat! Why it is barely boiling!! And after you told me that you did not want more wood!?"

The giant took a spoonful of his own supper and promptly spat it out, fanning his mouth.

"Neko Jita," Kagome scorned, though the moment the words were out of her mouth she worried that she had overstepped the mark.

The giant's two beefy palms, each easily as long as her torso, slammed down on the table top and Kagome jumped as stew slopped over the side of the bowl and the Kyoujin kowtowed apologetically.

"Kagome-sama forgive me for my poor hospitality this day. You are indeed a great person, though I am larger in frame I cannot compare to your strength. Ask any boon of me that I might make amends."

Kagome's eyebrows brushed her hairline and she let out a relieved breath that could have also been mistaken for a huff of mollification. Deciding not to push her luck to far she decided to tell something along the lines of the truth - the giant didn't seem a bad sort at all.

"Kyoujin-kun. You have already proven your worth. In truth this Kagome-sama was sent to test you and steal three of your treasures if you were unworthy. But I have seen you and judge that you do not deserve such punishment. You have done your best to provide hospitality to me and I shall not dishonour your kindness."  
"The lady you spoke of Kyoujin-kun, gave you the three treasures with the expectation that they would, one by one, be taken from you, then, as you chased the thief you would fall to your death. She is not a kind lady and I will not be her executor."

"Kagome-sama…" The giant's voice choked off. "Truly I have one treasure only. If you would leave her with me I would gladly give you all my other wealth…"

"Her?" Kagome asked.

"I will show you my most beautiful treasure." Rising the giant strode over to the tansu cupboard and slid the door open...

~o0o~

* 猫舌 (ねこじた) Neko Jita – Having a "cat's tongue" is to be unable to eat hot foods.

Authors Endnote: Evil cliff hanger. mwa ha ha aha ha


	10. The Giant's Treasure

**Disclaimer:** I do hereby disclaim all rights and responsibilities for the characters, though the metal kimono comes from Melanippos Couture[tm pending], costumes, props and glorious garments. If you have to ask the price then you can't afford my wares.

Apologies for the repost but I changed the ending on the chapter. I will be trimming and tweaking the last three chapters as I work on the next as well.

**Reviews with feedback and critical substance or concept approval would be love**.

~Chapter 10 – The Giant's Treasure~

Kagome waited, certain that, somehow, Sesshoumaru had been mistaken for a woman again.

She was wrong. The giant turned from the cupboard after carefully coaxing out something and at last she could see what it was. Cradled in his arms, with the delicacy afforded to the carrying of a paper-thin porcelain vase, was an enormous black hen.

"Here is my speckled darling. Is she not beautiful?" The giant asked, running a tender hand over the plumed back of the bird that crouched with no shortage of contentment on the tabletop.

The bird was a rich blue-black with fine white flecks over the feathers and her great beady golden eyes held a degree of intelligence that Kagome would not have associated with a chicken and found slightly disturbing.  
The girl also felt relieved that she had decided to be honest with the giant rather than attempt to follow the original story – getting the hen out of the house would have been a nightmare.

"She is a very fine and large hen Kyojin-kun," Kagome allowed, rather amused by the affection the large man showed for his pet.

The giant puffed his chest up with pride and gently rubbed the comb of the hen. She leaned into the scratching like a dog.

"I call her Niwa no Hana*". I am grateful to have her as company. We giants do not live near one another and this place was lonely before she came."

"Uh Kyojin-kun. What were the other treasures?" Kagome was fairly certain she knew but the giant did not seem at all interested in showing the other items.

"Oh useless things. A sack of gold that I cannot empty and a harp that will not play."

"The gold sticks in the bag?" Kagome asked, uncertain. The story she remembered it was just a bag of gold. She had never understood how the character had run off with something so heavy herself.

"No it keeps pouring from it and I cannot put it back in. I have little use for gold. An empty sack is useful, a full one is not."

"May I…this Kagome-sama see these things?" she asked, almost slipping back into her usual language.

"Certainly Kagome-sama. You may take them if you want. I have no use for them."

The giant gave the hen one last pat then returned to the tansu. He slid open a different door and returned with a hessian sack in one hand and an ornate harp in the other. Kagome heard the harp growl and saw a flash of silvery hair before the giant dropped the two object on the table. At least she was certain where the taiyoukai was.

There was a hiss of anger from Sesshoumaru as he was placed on the table facing away from Kagome and the giant.

"I will have this Kyojin-kun," Kagome offered, gesturing towards the ornate musical instrument then, realising her slip, hastily added. "This Kagome-sama will accept your gifts."

"Take it and be welcome Kagome-sama. I have no use for a harp that will not sing. My speckled darling is far more valuable to me." The hen puffed out her feathers smugly and the giant continued. "I must go and get grain for her. Please excuse me."

With that the giant stood, bowed, scooped up the hen and strode out the door, leaving Kagome alone with the harp and it's prisoner..

Taking a deep breath Kagome walked around the harp.

~o0o~

The miko stepped around the harp and into the Taiyoukai's field of view. She was still wearing the rags she had been wearing back in the kitchen of the Inn. Her deferential posture at completely odds with the conversation he had eavesdropped on from inside the tansu.

Somehow her averted eyes and wary stance made him all the more certain she was somehow to blame for his predicament.

"You…" An angry bark escaped Sesshoumaru's as he saw Tensaiga tucked under Kagome's arm. He bit off the rest of the words on his tongue. Bad enough that he could not control his youki. Would his temper also escape him? No. He would not allow that and so clamped down on his fury compressing it out of existance.

The taiyoukai's stormy expression made Kagome squeak with dismay, she hastily bowed low and holding out Tensaiga with both hands.

"The giant had possession of this Sesshoumaru-sama. I recognized it as yours and bartered it back for you," Kagome embroidered as she spoke, hoping that she had cleaned the blade enough that he would not realise what she had been using it for.

Sesshoumaru hissed with frustration and Kagome glanced up, only then realising that the taiyoukai was unable to free his arms to take his sword back. As she looked it dawned on her that the kimono was a part of the front pillar of the harp, like the figurehead on a ship.

"Ah! Forgive me, Sesshoumaru-sama – Um… I beg your pardon… Perhaps I can help." She tucked Tensaiga under her arm again and eyes averted, studied the intricate fastenings of his kimono.

Blushing slightly she untied the obi-jime's*" ornate knot, and, tucking her fingers into his obi*, gave it a hard tug. The obi was very stiff and Kagome noted that the heavy clothe-of-gold was inlaid with wood and stone in patterns of marquetry rather than embroidery. The warmth of the fabric beneath her fingers was distinctly at odds with the cold ivory of his skin and the metallic lustre of the kimonos. Kagome pushed the distraction aside as she felt her ears glow and felt rather than heard the impatient growl from the taiyoukai she was attempting to free.

Another sharp tug and the obi was free, revealing another, thinner fabric sash and several more obi-jime. Trying not to fumble any more than she had to Kagome tackled these cords too then peeled back the outer most layer of kimono. It was like bending back a sheet of aluminium. The thin metal almost creaked as she bent it open, like a layer of an onion, to reveal the next kimono.

Sesshoumaru writhed within the cocoon of garments and Kagome twitched her hands back instinctively, taking a step back with half an expectation of him bursting out of the kimono. He did not.

"Would you like me to continue Sesshoumaru-sama? Or can you free yourself now?" As soon as the words were out of her mouth Kagome cringed inside. If he could free himself she doubted he would still be there. By asking him that question, in such a fashion, inferred that he was too weak to undress himself.

"Allow this humble one to assist in removing these garments for you." Worse and worse. Kagome could almost hear Miroku's snigger. Inuyasha's outrage. Sango's quirked eyebrow.

The Taiyoukai had stilled again though and, awkwardly, without waiting for a reply Kagome renewed her attack on the layers. She had bent back some eight layers of kimono, beaten sheets of copper, bronze, steel and black iron, when Sesshoumaru stirred again.

"Enough, human." Sesshoumaru could feel the metal garment had loosened enough to pull his arms free from the sleeves. He did so pressing outwards against the front panels. The kimonos squeaked and grated as they slid over each other.

Like a rumpled moth emerging from a gloriously coloured chrysalis Sesshoumaru pushed again from within, splitting the robes open down the front and stepped from the crumpled layers of kimono, wearing a unornamented but creased deep indigo juban*.

As he stepped away the harp crumbled into dust behind him, it's purpose past. No longer confined by the layers of metal Sesshoumaru's youki, roiled though the air.

Kagome's shivered as the hair on the nape of her neck stood on end. She felt the hum of her own powers rise to repel the demonic force that washed around them both. The metal kimono seemed to have blocked or contained his ki.

Kagome bowed again and hastily held out the sword once more.

Less than half an hour ago she had been swaggering and bullying someone many times her size and strength… but then she had not feared Kyoujin. Sesshoumaru, she sensed on the other hand, was a very real threat if she did not treat him with respect. Especially if she wanted to live to get home.

Sesshoumaru resisted the urge to snatch his sword from her woman's hands. Instead he carefully lifted it from her palms. The blade purred smugly under his touch, evidently pleased with itself.

Sesshoumaru regarded the woman for a moment then drew breath and spoke.

"Human."

Kagome jumped at the sound of his voice and glanced up, startled by his civil tone. She rapidly averted her eyes again, she would not be able to bluff against this one.

As she looked down Kagome's eyes fell on the cords lying on the ground at her feet. With Sesshoumaru's youki now buzzing in the air around them she realised that the obijime cords were faintly glowing with a holy aura…

The hum of holy power contained in the cords explaining Sesshoumaru's inability to escape the harp on his own and, the thought struck her, might provide her with some form of defense in future.

When she made no noise of reply Sesshoumaru drew Tenseiga and looked critically at the blade. Kagome felt her heart sink. As casually as she could she stooped and picked up the cords, winding them between her hands nervously.

"I tried to clean the blade as best I could Sesshoumaru-sama. I was not sure how to do it, I hope it is alright…" Kagome babbled. The rational part of her brain reminded her that Tensaiga couldn't kill while the irrational shouted loudly over the top that Sesshoumaru had never let that stop him before.

"Hnn." Tenseiga was clean and showed no harm from being in the hands of a miko. Infact the blade seemed a degree keener and brighter than when Sesshoumaru had last drawn it. "You will tell this Sesshoumaru how you know of these…stories."

Kagome rubbed her knuckles. "There was... They are called "Fairy Tales", I learned them as a child. A Lady came by our camp... with Inuyasha and the others. She um...She looked in my head and found them there."

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed and Kagome rushed on, not bold enough to say the word 'Benten' aloud, remembering the dwarf woman's words. "She... She said she wanted to teach a lesson and then I found myself on the horse. Then I found you, Sesshoumaru-sama."

Sesshoumaru digested this a moment.

"Then it would seem you are the source of this curse. If I remove you then this "Lady" will no longer have a source for these fa-ree tai-ru-su." He pronounced the English words with distaste. Kagome froze, her eyes wide as, almost casually, Sesshoumaru reached for her throat with one hand and…

The table beneath their feet suddenly turned to cloud, plummeting them both down…

~o0o~

* 庭 の花 [にわ の はな] - Flower of the garden. A bit of a pun on my part as Niwatori [鶏] (yard bird) is Japanese for chicken.

* 帯じめ [おびじめ] obijime - a braided cord tied on top of the obi. The color is chosen to compliment the obi.

* 帯 [おび] Obi- a sash for traditional Japanese dress. Often decoratively dyed or embroidered in women's wear it is worn around the waist.

* [じゅだん] Juban – A light kimono worn to sleep in or as underwear.

**Authors Note:** Rewritten slightly.  
[Drops a bucket over plot!penguin and goes to get on with the story.]

And fooled you all! The giant doesn't give two figs for Sesshoumaru in his pretty kimono. The hen was always his favorite ^_^


	11. In which boots were not needed

**Disclaimer:** I do hereby disclaim all rights and responsibilities for the characters, Except for the old court advisors, they all belong to me. I get them to feed the penguins.

**Reviews with feedback and critical substance or concept approval would be love**.

~Chapter 11 - In which the boots weren't needed... at all~

_...The table beneath their feet suddenly turned to cloud, plummeting them both down…_

...plummeting down...

...a whole three feet, onto sand.

Kagome's legs buckled under her and she sat down hard, her soles protesting at the sudden impact, especially since they were still bruised from her descent from the giant's steps. The only sound apart from her rabbiting heartbeat was of surf and gulls... and something large stirring next to her...

For once the girl and the taiyoukai had been dropped into the story together… though not unchanged…

"Gracious Gods!" Kagome exclaimed scrambling to her feet. "This isn't how the story goes!"

Sesshoumaru glared at her from the ground, his torso was spackled with the white sand and his long hair hung limp over him in damp ribbons. Where legs should have been was a long silvery tail.

Quite a lovely tail Kagome thought distractedly. It suited him, the shape reminded her of a… a….. Dog fish! her mind cheerfully supplied and she clamped down on the thought.

She ran her hands distractedly through her hair, leaving a streak of sand particles. She had no doubts about which fairytale had been inflicted upon them this time.

And the tide was retreating, leaving the taiyoukai-ningyo* stranded on the beach.

"I… I think you need to stay wet Sesshoumaru-sama… or at least the scaley bits… until… until we can sort this…" Kagome forgetting for moment that Sesshoumaru had been attempting to strangle her a moment before.

She tugged off her jacket and hastened to the waters edge, using the garment as a sling to carry water back. Most of the water fell through before she got it back to the taiyoukai so she settled for spreading it over Sesshoumaru's tail where the scales had begun to dry out. Once again it seemed she was clad in a men's clothes. Sesshoumaru wasn't clad at all. Her mind skittered away from *that* thought. Back to safer things: such as how the jacket seemed remarkably absorbant and..and if she tore out the lining it would have twice as much coverage...

"You know this tale too then Miko?" Sesshoumaru growled, giving her another thought to latch on to.

"The story says there's a sea-witch that grants the mer...mer…. merman legs," Kagome fudged. If sheer fury could boil seawater Sesshoumaru would be percolating the ocean. "Its because he wants to meet his… his true love on land. Look I think I help can drag you out deep enough that you could swim. Maybe if you find that person you can find out how we can resolve this tale…."

Sesshoumaru pushed his torso up off the ground with his hands and glowered up at her, his tail coiling sinuous but useless on the strand.

"This Sesshoumaru needs no help from a puny human."

"Um. Are you sure..." Kagome didn't see how she could have helped him if he would have accepted her aid. Perhaps if she could find a wheelbarrow...

Kagome watched the muscles ripple across his shoulders. Oh My. They were sunburnt already and flaking in places but for all that, mesmerising. By sheer arm strength alone the taiyoukai dragged himself down the beach, through the surf and into the sea, disappearing without a backwards glance.

She watched him disappear under the water and then stood there some time more, her mouth opening and closing. Utterly abandoned.

Time caught up and she could hear the seagulls again. She was alone on a beach

So much for thanks or recognition of how she had helped – again.

"Fine!" Kagome shrieked at the surf. "Fine! See if I care. I hope you get eaten by a shark." Throwing the sodden jacket down she turned to storm up the beach. There at her feet lay Tensaiga. Kagome thought briefly of kicking it away but decided against it. She picked up the katana and sniffed, wiping her nose on her other sleeve. She'd been abandoned on a strange beach by a crazed taiyoukai-fish man who had tried to kill her. Events had finally caught up with Kagome and she allowed herself to sink to a crouch for a good hard cry.

Half an hour or so later Kagome was walking with purpose along the coast. Better to be heading somewhere she had decided. As she rounded the corner of the cape, blotting the last of her tears on the damp white cambric shirt she wore, she heard voices.

There was a small crowd of elderly men tumbling over each other in their haste to reach her. Behind them, washed up on the sand was the battered remains of a shipwreck. Magnificent chinese court robes fluttered and beaded hats of state clattered as the men trotted towards her. The oldest of them's face was creased with joy and his shout was easily audible over the waves. Behind them came several retainers carrying blankets and baskets of bandages as if they had expected to find many greatly injured.

As they got closer Kagome was amazed to see tears of relief trickling down the cheeks of several of the older men, trickling into their long white moustaches.

"Kouchi-sama*! Ah! Amaterasu* be praised! The storm spared you! When we heard your ship had been sunk by wakō we were desolate."

Kagome found herself enveloped in a thick and warm blankets, the elderly men all bowing before her and fluttering their hands in happy agitation.

"Send for a kago – we must take his highness home. Make haste!"

"No. I can walk. I would rather walk." Kagome gently pushed the myriad of supporting hands away and set her mind to the role she was now playing.  
"I intend to walk. But you may let me know what has happened in my absence."

~o0o~

Sesshoumaru plunged down through the water in a pallid streak of silver. The relief from the itch of his scales dry was palatable. He had never been particularly fond of water but now he marvelled at the grace and maneuverability he had been granted in the unfamiliar medium.

The first few moments when he had submerged and found he could breath the water had been strange. The salt had stung his nose and made his eyes water and then it had all ceased to irritate and he had found himself in a different world. Around him was silence, but the colours and shapes of the shoals of fish that shimmered around him created noise by sight. The only thing he missed was scent… then he opened his mouth and the fragrance of the ocean, with all its nuances, sparkled on his tongue.

The water was full of life, unaltered by mankind. Energy sparkled through the current, swiftly satisfying the growing knot of hunger for ki* that had sat in his stomach since waking in the orchard. His own youki had stopped rupturing off too, no longer draining his resources. The saltwater created a barrier on his skin, keeping his aura contained, though he found he still could not control it.

Sesshoumaru swam on into the deeper water, constantly scanning for threats but also fascinated by the unfamiliar world around him. Now that he had drunk his fill of ki he found himself hungry for actual food, and he was surrounded by it, in every colour and size. He had rarely eaten fish on land – finding it insipid and bland. But here, as he drew a 'breath' of water over his tongue, he could smell that the succulence of some fish that darted past him that more than rivaled red meat.

Settling on one sort that set his mouth watering in particular Sesshoumaru watched the movements of the fish, stalking by hanging still in the water. With the flick of his tail he was after it, cutting through the water like a shark to catch with claws and teeth. For a brief moment he nearly lost his prey, the jack-knifing movement and unexpected slipperiness of fish scales allowed it to evade his grasp twice before his claws found true purchase. The meat was satisfying and plentiful. Smaller fish fluttered around him like butterflies as he finished his meal, daringly snatching up the scattered fragments he had discarded.

There was a resonation through the water around him and a giant shadow encompassed him. Looking up Sesshoumaru saw a great whale, patiently ploughing through the water above. It rolled slowly in the water to look at him with one small wise eye. Again the water reverberated and Sesshoumaru sensed a question in the noise. The beast was speaking to him he suspected, but he could not understand.

The whale glided closer, expectantly, and Sesshoumaru lifted a hand, pale and slim, and placed it against the great grey creature's snout.

Through palm of his hand his youki brushed another equally, perhaps more powerful aura. It was strange and humbling. This creature did not hold tight control of its aura to cloak it, as he did. The whale's aura was the ocean, shared with others of its kind. The whale spoke again and now it's meaning was translated by their contact.

_Kings-Child. You have strayed near the surface lands again. Stay in the below world. It is kinder here_. Had the words come from anything else he might have sneered at such concerns, but the thoughts from the great cow whale had come with a memory of dead calves washed up on beaches and water bloodied by the tearing hooks and ropes of hunting vessels. For them the world above held death as much as it did air and life.

_Stay in the far waters, sing long, breath deep._ The whale turned away from him with a small motion of a fluke, and turned to continue on her way, the resonation clicking out again in a different direction, untranslated now that contact had been lost.

Sesshoumaru floated in the water, rubbing his fingers together thoughtfully, they still tingled slightly. Around him strange fish continued to darted and soar.

He felt a strange temptation, one he had not experienced since being a very young child – he could stay here. It was not running away- if he simply did not return to the surface. Sesshoumaru could easily dwell in this silence and beauty without returning.

He pushed the thought away savagely. That he even contemplated this temptation, freedom from the responsibilities of his birthright, irritated him. Growling out a string of bubbles he turned to swim deeper into the ocean to find the 'sea-witch' the girl had spoken of. The sooner he escaped this place the better.

~o0o~

* 人魚 Ningyo - Mermaid

* 皇嗣 Kouchi - Crown prince or an imperial heir

* 天照 Amaterasu – Shinto sun goddess, protector and, according to legend, mother of the emperial line of Japan

* 倭寇 wakō – 'japanese bandit', specifically a pirate.

* 駕籠 Kago: An enclosed litter or palaquin, often used to transport nobles, officials and the wealthy.

*気 (き)ki – is energy, electricity, life force. I am using this in the way sacred places and belief power many of the shinto gods. If people cease to pray or a place becomes contaminated/corrupted then they lose their power or turn nasty. I like the idea that Sesshoumaru is, like a Neko-mata, so old that he is so powerful he is a little supernatural (I mean beyond claws and excreting acid) - that he draws part of his power from himself and part from his surroundings.

*Interesting note: Having seen the old Richard Chamberlain Shogun flick I had preconceptions about Japanese and boats and thought I should better investigate this. The beginning Sengoku period coincides with the first contacts with the west (the Dutch and Portuguese). The Japanese didn't have pilots capable of navigating the deep-sea regions – boats were primarily used to transport troups rather than actually fight from. The first pilots of the Red Seal ships were all Portuguese. However Japanese pirates and sailors had a reputation for viciousness and were banned from many ports including china and India. Benten, I imagine, being an ocean goddess and all, would have a good idea of ships, shipwrecks and ocean battles.


	12. Pearls before Hounds

**Disclaimer:** I do hereby disclaim all rights and responsibilities for the characters, Except for the eleven other 'princes', they've creating themselves, they entertain me, the penguins, and any fangirls who want to draw them [hint hint].

**Reviews with feedback and critical substance or concept approval would be love**.

~Chapter 12 – Pearls before Hounds~

Sesshoumaru hung almost motionless in the water, the current tugged out his hair to ripple upwards like a sheet of silk as the taiyoukai surveyed the seabed in front of him.

Below were tori* arches, the paper streamers replaced by seaweed, the wood cracked from the water, the red paint algae spattered and flaking. Half concealed by coral and sand the stairs lead upward through the arches.

Tall dark kelp wavered on either side, reminiscent of dense pine forests. Through them at the top of the stairs Sesshoumaru could see lights flickering. Faint pulses of a drum-like sound rolled out through the water and there seemed some sort of matsuri* taking place at the top of the stairs.

The lack of strong youki around suggested it was some other place than the Sea Witch the human had spoken of. Sesshoumaru wasn't certain what other sapient creatures existed beneath the ocean… apart from dragons and their courts.

Warily he considered the path through the arches and kelp. It was far too likely a place for ambush, especially when he was once again freed from the constraints of gravity, and so he sought to swim over them. The water sharply turned chill and a current of water blew him back the way he had come, aggressively tumbling him head over tailfins.

Sesshoumaru righted himself with grim determination and weighed up trying again, remembering his lack of success in the Orchard and Kitchen. Rather than suffer the self-humiliation of being denied his will again Sesshoumaru elegantly rolled over in the water and swam down through the arches as if it had always been his intention, ready to defend himself if need be.

Defense was not entirely unwarranted. As Sesshoumaru reached the top of the stairs there was a flare of light and a cheer as a [celebratory bobble] popped open above him, showering him in bright fragments of shell, coral and coloured sea weed.

A crowd abandoned the drums and array of structures to swarm around him, their voices audible despite the water.

"Happy Birthday Little Brother!" Happy Birthday!" Before he had chance to escape or retaliate eleven youkai swam in dizzy circles around him, each briefly patting his shoulder before darting out of reach. These were not kappa or umibōzu* but human-formed land youkai with tails similar to his own. They ranged in size, species and colour. All of them were larger than himself.

They continued to swim around him in a friendly, loud school, bombarding him with words. Sesshoumaru twisted in the water, unwilling to trust the affection and enthusiasm they were showering on him, waiting for betrayal and attack.

"Welcome back."  
"Here you should adorn yourself for the festival."  
"Here are abalone shell and pearls, they suit your hair."  
"What did you see on the surface little Brother?"  
"Yes! What did you see?"  
"Were there ships or Thunder storms or the clear sun?"  
"Did you see the stars?"

The youkai-mermen hovered in the water around him, as if anxious to hear of some adventure. Sesshoumaru looked over the gathered faces. They waited eagerly for his reply, like children he realized – there was no malice, no demonic intelligence in these creatures. They did not strive for anything, were not driven to anything, wanted for nothing and had become… tame.

"There was an imbecile, much as there are here." Sesshoumaru said curtly, wishing he had tarried with Higurashi Kagome long enough to learn more of the story. She had not said anything about siblings in the story.

The youkai nodded happily as if, during his silence, they were listening to some fascinating story, their eyes slightly glazed. Sesshoumaru curled a lip, but they did not seem to really be looking at or listening to him at all. He swatted away the hands that were proffering ropes of pearls, barnacles and similar ornaments.

After a moments silence one of the youkai blinked as if remembering something. "Will you sing for us then Little Brother – your voice is the sweetest of all our family and we have not heard it for some time."

Sesshoumaru snorted. "I would hardly consider that a compliment. I will not."

"Oh…" This reply at least seemed to be heard and his cold response recognised. The other youkai's faces became uncertain. "Are…are you sure little brother?" one asked tentatively.

Sesshoumaru drew himself up. "Most certain. I have no wish to be here at all."

"In that case you'd best return to your chambers, you are of no use here at our festival if you won't sing." One of the largest of the youkai brothers gestured brusquely at the building opposing the arches. A palace stood the place where a temple would be expected. Around him the "Brothers" turned absently away, eagerly returning to their festival as if he had ceased to exist.

Sesshoumaru frowned slightly, irked at being dismissed so casually. He had not sought the attention, but to be forgotten so readily was…. Unpleasant. Around him the youkai celebrated their festival, tussling with each other, roaring with mirth and Sesshoumaru felt strangely alone. Shaking off the feeling of abandonment he crossed the courtyard, swimming through the open doors of the palace, leaving the merriment behind.

Long corridors of screens extended in three directions. Sesshoumaru hovered in the water a moment trying to discern which way to go. A soft wash of current directed him to the left. When he swam in a different direction the water became colder but not restrictively so. Evidently he was allowed, but not encouraged, to explore.

Eventually Sesshoumaru found himself before a doorway with his name carved upon the lintel. Traditional screen doors slid open as he approached. Curious he tapped one of the 'paper' panels of a doorway. It was shell, flat and white, cut to replace paper that had long since disintegrated.

The door opened out onto a watery garden, raked gravel that would never be disturbed by a footprint lay between the "flower" beds. The space was laid out like a traditional Japanese garden, right down to a branching russet coral that looked like a small maple tree. Riots of colour swayed gently in the wash of his passing as Sesshoumaru explored. The garden was unnecessarily walled and the Taiyoukai surmised that the entire complex must have once been on land but sunk beneath the waves. Around him variegated fan worms, anemones and corals had been cultivated to form a garden of unsurpassed loveliness. Sesshoumaru's thoughts flicked to his ward.

Rin would appreciate this. Briefly he imagined bringing her and watching over her as she collected more of the living posies he had seen outside the palace. She would be happy here… Perhaps he too could be content… Sesshoumaru shied away from the thought, remembering the dull faces of the other youkai. What was he if there was nothing to strive for? Nothing to overcome?

Instead he focused his attention on the central garden bed. Carefully set in amidst the vibrant anemones was a white marble statue of a human. Though the features were slightly more masculine, Sesshoumaru recognised it as a representation of the girl, Higurashi Kagome.

He circled it once, briefly contemplating if he would gain satisfaction from maliciously drawing his claws across the stone face. Eventually he decided against it. He had no desire to give her more consequence than he already had. To do so would only infer that he thought her worth the effort of defacing the image.

Sesshoumaru allowed himself to sink to the gravel path, irritated at the circles his thoughts were chasing, and allowed himself a moment of envy for the stone statue. Unfeeling, uncaring, unconcerned. He had not been able to refind his own centre since meeting the Lady. His inability to control and use his youki had been having a greater toll on him than he had realised. Here beneath the waves he was no longer so drained, even if he still could not harness his youki…

He could feel the tranquil hum of the ocean-ki lapping at him, dulling his senses, settling over him like silt. Sesshoumaru shook himself out of the lethargy, he would not submit to this, Glowering up at the statue he pushed away from the ground. The Sea Witch, Higurashi Kagome had said, would tell him what had to be done to escape this place.

Sesshoumaru set that goal firmly in his mind and, returning to the festival whirl. Most of the brothers were engaged in a furious dance around the centre of the courtyard but Sesshoumaru managed to collared one of the smaller 'brothers', a slate black stag* youkai, it's tail patterned like a carpet shark.

"You: Tell me where I might find the Sea Witch."

"Eh why would you want to talk to her? You'll be far happier staying here Little Brother, nothing good comes of associating with her. What more could you want that isn't here in our kingdom?"

Sesshoumaru hissed, pulling away from the friendly arm that had been laid across his shoulder. "Challenge."

"Well I suppose you will have your way and we will have to save you later. As that's what brothers are for," the mer-youkai replied complacently "If you really want to find her the Sea Witch is deeper."

"Deeper?" Sesshoumaru cocked his head, waiting for clarification.

"Here." The stag-youkai poured a handful of large rounded pearls into Sesshoumaru's palm then, taking one, tossed it on the ground. The pearl bounced then rolled, tumbling across the courtyard and away down the stairs.

"Follow it, when it stops rolling throw another. You'll get there eventually. Though remember there are other ways about going about these things…"

Sesshoumaru paused then, stiffly, bowed to the stag youkai. He had realised in the moment the gnarled fingers had brushed his hand that this being was not a youkai, the ki he had felt in the instant of contact had been divine, like that of the Lady. A god or it's emissary had just offered him aid and he had already enough trouble with the one he had insulted.

The stag smiled, his white moustached upperlip curling slightly. "You are learning Sesshoumaru, Then you never were a hasty one to begin with. Good Luck and hurry. Or that first pearl will be wasted."

~o0o~

* 鳥居 (とりい) Torii (literally 'bird perch')– these arches symbolically mark the the beginning of a sacred space and are often found at the entrance to Shinto shrines and sacred places.  
* 祭り (まつり) Matsuri – festivals, splendid affairs full of lights, noise and spectacul. In this case Sesshoumaru got a whole festival for his birthday, but he brushed it off. The cad.  
* 河童 (あっぱ) Kappa – a water creature from Japanese myth, something like a humanoid turtle the kappa has a dish of water on it's head from which it derives it's power. They have a tendancy to drown people but if you bow to them, being incredibly polite creatures, they must bow back and so tip out the water and temporarily lose their power. They are also very fond of cucumbers.  
* **海坊主（うみぼうず）**umibozo (sea monk) is a ocean monster, they often wreck boats or drag people into the ocean. There is an excellent write up on both of these monsters and more at www [dot] obakemono [dot] com

* Stags are associated with Fukurokuju (福禄寿) of the seven lucky gods, god of longevity. He is generally depicted as bald with a long forehead, indicating his wisdom. Deer are also associated with longevity, when they attain 1000 years of age they are said to turn black.

The twelve princes, for those interested are, by age/size: Buffalo, bear, horse, lion, tiger, goat, wildcat, deer, weasel, salamander, lizard, dog (Sesshoumaru). And these twelve… uh eleven dancing princes don't need to worry about wearing out their shoes ^_^


	13. In the Mirror, Lies

**Disclaimer:** I do hereby disclaim all rights and responsibilities for the characters, including all the beleaguered staff of the prince's castle and grounds.

**Note de Author**: I had to break through a bit of a mental block to get this chapter out.  
I believe it may be a bit waffley so will come back and rework it once I have the next two chapters combed, carded and spun out for your delight. Let me know where this limps the worst so I may amputate and cauterise and needed (and graft on extra limbs and heads where needed)

**Reviews with feedback and critical substance or concept suggestions always appreciated  
**

~ Chapter 13 - In the Mirror, Lies ~

Kagome was escorted around the bluff to where a stone castle jutted out of the cliff face, like a series of white marble fungi. She allowed herself to be helped into one of the many sedan chairs and carried up the winding stairs through the keep and into the castle. Initially she had protested that she was fit enough to walk but the obstinate statement that if Kouchi-sama would walk so too would all the advisors, many of whom were seventy if not a good deal older, finally settled the argument.

The eldest of the courtiers rode in another chair close behind her. Kagome turned in her seat, looking down onto the pristine beach and the open layout of the town around the keep. Having seen many Japanese fortifications in the Sengoku period Kagome was certain that this place hadn't been designed to be defendable. Even the castle illustrations in the books she remembered had enclosing walls and portcullises of one sort or another. Somehow it felt like there should be more guards… any guards at all in fact. She craned her neck looking for some sign of uniforms or sentries.

"Aren't we at risk from attack from the sea?" Kagome asked.

"Oh no Kouchi-sama the reef protects us from any ships here. You need not fear the Wakō here. Do you not remember sire? That is why there no piers on this side of the coast, and all the fishing villages are on the far side of the island. Besides, The Lady promised no harm will befall any who settle here. Our city may be very young, but we have been greatly blessed by the gods. The other realms, knowing this, desire our good opinion. I fear the hardships you have faced may have affected your memory Kouchi-sama. You must rest and regain your strength."

Within minutes they were at the castle and Kagome was led through opulent halls and antechambers, deep into what she could only assume were her own private quarters. Each time they passed a hallway one or another servant would peel off and hasten away until there were only three courtiers with her. When they finally stopped in antechamber a brief and whispered conversation was held behind her and the three advisors bowed deeply.

"Kouchi-sama if you would wait a few moments your maids will be here to attend to you. We must inform your father of your return. Please: rest on one of these seats in the mean time." With that Kagome alone again. She sank into one of the seats and rubbed her eyes. Trying to figure out what to make of her situation.

It seems Benten had create an entire city as a backdrop to this particular story…

_What on earth did Sesshoumaru do to warrant such an expenditure of effort and power?_ Kagome wondered, her mind boggling as she ran over the past tales in her mind, each increasingly elaborate in location and cast. _She could wipe all of us off the face of the planet with less effort than she has put into creating these places. and for what purpose? 'To teach a lesson'? _Kagome drew a deep breath in and tapped her fist into her palm frowning.

_Well now what?  
I'm a prince and Sesshoumaru's a fish… I guess I'm expected wait until he comes back with legs – like the prince in the story… _Kagome tapped her feet on the ground as she thought on, turning the story over in her head. She didn't like the idea of having to sit around waiting for the story to happen to her. _Being proactive is so much easier. _

Fidgeting Kagome got up, intending to sneak a glance through the nearest door. In doing so she caught a glimpse of movement out of the corner of her eye. Whirling she found herself being watched by a stranger in a doorway she hadn't noticed before. Startled she hastily bowed, then looked up to find the stranger reflect her action. Warily the girl stepped forward and touched the mirror's surface, then her own cheek. Instead of her familiar face, with it's Asiatic female bone structure, cobalt eyes and black hair she looked into the pale blue eyes of a handsome European boy with brownish blonde haired.

Unsettled Kagome pulled a lock of her hair forward to check and saw that it was still black. Curious she returned her attention to the mirror. Patting her front she was relieved to find she still felt herself… though the mirror showed a flat chested, almost broad shouldered, distinctly masculine figure. Illusion! Then how much of this place was real? A tactile check of the floor and drapes seemed to indicate she was the only 'fake' in the place.

She pulled a face at herself in the mirror, wondering if Sesshoumaru would still recognise her. Had she looked like this before on the beach? Or in any of the other places? Perhaps the dwarves hadn't really seen _her_ either...

There was a patter of footsteps approaching and Kagome's musings were interrupted by a footman who deferentially ushered her on thorough yet more rooms. She was then courteously handed over to a phalanx of personal maids where she was stripped, washed, rinsed and redressed in a whirl of silks and spiced possets, all under the clucking supervision of an old matron.

By the time the servants were satisfied with her appearance Kagome was neatly clothed in many layers of embroidered Chinese court dress. The stranger that watched her from the mirror seemed as out of place in the costume, arrayed in finery from lacquered footwear to an elaborate topknot and cap, as she was in her role of prince, again. Her illusionary face seemed more serene than her own at least, which she was certain was bright red from the brisk handling of the maids.

A hew and cry from outside one of the windows gave her welcome distraction and Kagome pushed through the maids to see what it was about. Several people seemed to behaving hysterics in the garden below.

Kagome turned to find one of the old advisors hovering nearby.

"What's the matter?"

"Nothing you need worry about Kouchi-sama. Something has happened in the garden and it's distraught the head-cook somewhat… again."

There was a loud sobbing from outside as someone broke into tears.  
Kagome drew herself up, glad to have found something she could act on.

"I wish to know what has happened and will be going down there right now." She swept past him.

"Kouchi-sama… As… As you wish." The old man trotted after Kagome as she stormed down the hallways. Glancing back and seeing his unsteady tottering stride as he tried to keep up Kagome relented and slowed down, allowing him to overtake him and lead her down and out into the gardens.

The castle gardens Kagome was lead through were set out in a very formal, symmetrical European style. As they proceeded the ornate display gardens gave way to the practicality of the kitchen gardens containing a small knot of people that hovered around a crouched man who was sobbing into his apron.

Kagome cleared her throat and all but one of the servants hastily bowed.

"What is the matter?" Kagome asked.

One of the servants, encouraged to speak by a gesture from the eldest advisor, apologetically ventured: "Kouchi sama. We are to prepare a feast to celebrate your return… but all of the herbs have been with replaced with these foreign plants… Our head cook is…" the woman gestured helplessly at the distraught individual at Kagome's feet.

"My daikon! My shisho! Where are my komatsuna and mizuna*," the crouched man sobbed, rocking back and forth. "All my herbs are gone! How am I expected to cook with this? This!"

A warm breeze sprang up in the silence. On the ground was one of bushes that the head cook appeared to have ripped out and thrashed against the ground. A rich savory smell rose up from the foliage carries by the wind. Kagome plucked a sprig and rolled it between her fingers, looking at the other three types of plant that now populated the entire herb garden. The parsley she recognised, but the others were foreign to her. The smell of one in her hand, however, reminded her of roast lamb as she had eaten in a restaurant once or twice, cooked European style.

"Um. Perhaps I can help…" Kagome offered, the head cook looked up at last and, seeing Kagome, yelped and flung himself prostrate on the ground before her.

"Forgive me Kouchi-sama! Forgive this pitiful one for disturbing your rest!"

Kagome was aghast at his reaction. "I did not mean to rebuke you! I swear! Um….Look: this one…" she proffered the parsley. "This one goes well with fish…"And this," the sprig she recognised only by the smell. "This one goes well cooked with the meat of sheep."

"Sheep*?"

"Ah yes, um… or maybe deer too? Uh. Sheep are like goats but…" Kagome made vague shapes with her hands. "fluffier?"

"Does Kouchi-sama desire we find these "Shee-pu" for his table?" The man's voice quavered.

"No! Not at all." Kagome hastily flapped her hand. "I… I was just trying to help you with how to use these herbs. Um. Please don't worry about the sheep."

"Koucha-sama" A cry came from the far end of the garden. "The weavers have finished it Koucha-sama." A few eager men hurried forward – presenting a folded garment made of white fabric. "Just as you ordered."

"Made what?" Kagome asked, wishing she knew what the hell was happening. None of this was relevant to the mermaid story she knew. A wave of dizziness made her sway slightly, blinking hard the tried to focus on the proffered bundle.

Reverently the man carrying the fabric shook it out, revealing a long white shirt, the fabric so fine it shimmered slightly in the sun. "No seams Sire. Not a stitch in the garment. As you requested."

"Ah Kouchi-sama…?"

"Sire?"

The voices were increasingly muffled as Kagome's vision whirled. While she had forgotten she had not eaten anything, but the sip of the giant's stew, since her supper at the inn her body had not. Neither had she rested since then, while adrenaline had kept her going until now, her body decided it no longer had the resources to hold her up and shut down in self defense, leaving the cooks and advisors scrambling to catch her slumping form.

~o0o~

* 大根 (あいこん)Daikon – Japanese radish om nom nom. I have it growing in my garden at the moment.  
*紫蘇 (ひしお) Shisho or Perilla is in the mint family and in Japan is used for salads, accompanying sushi and meat dishes.  
*小松菜 (こまつな) Komatsuna is a leaf vegetable related to the turnip. It is used in salads, stirfried, pickled, boiled or added to soups.  
*水菜 (水菜) Mizuna is another leafy vegetable from the brassica family, it is used in salads and has a peppery flavour.

*Sheep – I have NO idea when sheep arrived in Japan. I have no luck finding out on the net. If anyone knows I would love to hear from you. In the Chinese zodiac 'sheep' and 'goat' is often used interchangeably which doesn't help me at all. I don't even know if sheep as we and Kagome would know them – the fleecy wool covered _Ovid aries_ (which is only one of multiple species of 'sheep' but are the widest spread and covers most of the domesticated breeds) – are the same as would have been found in mainland China in the sengoku period.  
Poor Benten, trying to make sense of all the anachronisms in Kagome's head when even I, the author, can't find information on it.

On herbs: Incase you are curious. The herbs are _Petroselinum __crispum_, _Salvia officinalis_ , _Rosmarinus officinalis _and _Thymus vulgaris_. Heh. Go look them up. There will be further subtle references relating to their association in following chapters. ^.^ Why? Because I'm a nerd.


	14. A Second Exchange

**Disclaimer:** I do hereby disclaim all rights and responsibilities for the characters, including the Sea Witch, though dibs on some seahorses to wear in my hair.

**Note d' Authoria: **Thankyou to RosieB who nominated my tale for the IYFG quarterly competition._  
Benten's Lesson ranked a third in the Comedy section_ this quarter and I was both surprised and delighted that my tale had been brought to the attention of the powers that be.

**Reviews: **Let me know what you think, wordy reviews make my day.

~ Chapter 14: A Second Exchange ~

Lithely twisting in the water Sesshoumaru tasted the water as he followed the rolling pearl. Now and then it would be lost from sight as it bounced beneath coral overhangs but always it reappeared, a pale gleam on the seabed. Sesshoumaru searched for the scent of power or some youki like taint in the water. The sooner he found the 'seawitch' the girl mentioned the sooner he would return to normal, on so many levels of existence.

As if hearing and rebuking his impatience the pearl rolled into a crack in the seabed and vanished. Sesshoumaru circled, prying at the ground with his fingers to see if he could follow it, when he could not he tried dropping another pearl. This one rolled hastily away in the same direction the first had before it fell.

Down. Down. Down. Pearl after pearl rolled and fell, leading the way.

The water became darker and heavier as the Taiyoukai swam on. Around him now the fish were leaner, their eyes larger. Flashes of luminescence beguiled or warned from the spines and sides of long thing eel creatures that eyed him in passing the sank back into their hiding holes.

Ahead the anemone's them selves glowed in pale golds, pinks and blues, forming and lighting a rich garden bed around a dais formed out of coral. Seated there was a woman, her skin as pale and smooth as abalone shell, her eyes pale as a corpse.

She was tall and elegant, but without a fish tail. Her throne was wrought of giant branches of moro coral*, red as safflower paste. The Sea Witch, for who else could it be, was dressed in silk kimonos that billowed about her in shades of kelp green. Her long black hair rose like smoke and was the hiding place of tiny slate-coloured seahorses and the occasional octopus that coiled in and out of the locks. Foreign gold coins, round and struck with a cross shape, thickly littered the ground around her. As did human bones, picked clean and gleaming pale in the flickering ocean light.  
The water tasted of power. Godly power, the same as the Lady and, to a lesser extent, the deer Youkai. This aura was heavy with lightning, salt and incense. Sesshoumaru repressed a shiver and warily approached.

The woman turned to focus on him with her dead eyes and a cruel little smile foxed the corners of her mouth.

"You have come slower than I was expecting little hound. Did the delights of the sunken palace turn your head and distract you?"

Sesshoumaru schooled his face to show no expression. "Hardly," he replied. The Sea Witch did not like his casual response. The water around her roiled slightly and Sesshoumaru gasped for air a moment as the the water momentarily ceased to be breathable.

"You will address me as O-Toyota Mahime-sama, dog, if you address me at all. I will not be toyed with. You must exchange something of equal value for my assistance, that is the rule here."

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened fractionally in fear at the realization that his ability to breath could be robbed so easily. He nodded fractionally and the water returned to normal. The sea-witch steepled her fingers and gazed at him hungrily over them. Her teeth were very white when she spoke.

"I know what you seek."

Sesshoumaru's lip curled. "Better than I do…"  
The woman stiffened, the water darkened slightly and Sesshoumaru stiffly added. "…O-Toyota Mahime-sama"

Toyota Mahime's eyes narrowed and her fingers flexed, displaying her long ivory nails. "You want your freedom little hound, Every movement in this realm shouts your wish louder than any voice could. Would you have me grant that desire?"

Sesshoumaru's brow furrowed. "I do not consider the mindless state of the other Youkai here freedom. O-Toyota Mahime-Sama."

The goddess waved her hand dismissively. "Of course not. Those Lotus-eaters are no freer than any other being who is reliant entirely on another's power for happiness. And the girl O-ka-sama* sent you has barely a part in the key to your freedom from all this." She waved at the watery realm about them.

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed as he listened. There was something about how the Sea Witch was being so blatantly dismissive of Higurashi Kagome that sounded false to his ears. But he was also beginning recognise who these beings were, that toyed with him so. Human gods differed from the primal gods of the Youkai, and he was not familiar with them, had never needed to be familiar with them. He had not realised that human gods had become so powerful in the last few decades. He would question the girl when next he saw her who these deities were.  
"O-ka? Your mother is the cause of all this?" Sesshoumaru flexed his talons. "What reason has she for…" The water thinned again as the goddess expressed her displeasure and Sesshoumaru gasped despite himself as his lungs were robbed of oxygen.

"Silence dog. Be still your yapping and do not seek to blame others for your failings. I know of your faults and irreverance. Mother is far too generous, for all that you are the end of your line. She has always been too sentimental about your family."

Sesshoumaru writhed and coiled in the water like and eel, trying to control himself as a claustrophobic fear seized him along with the spasms as he tried to breath. The water and the darkness was closing in on him and he felt the fear of a child, helpless and unable to save himself.

"Enough of this," O-Toyota Mahime stated sharply. And Sesshoumaru was free again, coughing and shivering still from the fear. An angry resentment that any being could do this to him glowed like an ember in his heart, renewing his strength.

"To the bargain, little hound. I will return your legs, that you may walk on land, even grant you the power to return to the ocean, should you chose it, but in return…" The sea-witch leant forward, her words an eager hiss. "I want your voice. That is the original trade, so I have learned."

Sesshoumaru frowned. A voice he barely used for the ability to come and go as he pleased here, on land and water, and so the ability solve the task of this place. "Take it then O-Toyota Mahime-sama."

The witch reached into her sleeve and drew out two glass bottles, one a deep blue, the other glowing amber. Pulling the stopper from the blue vial she gestured at Sesshoumaru.

"Speak then little hound, and forfill your part of the exchange."

Sesshoumaru frowned slightly. "What would you have me say…O-Toyo-" Even as the words fell from his lips the sound was drawn away into the vial in the Sea-Witch's hand, his last words were torn from his throat, leaving it raw in the salt water, and his tongue silent.

The water above began to boil.

"Hah. I thought that would get her attention. You had better leave now little hound. O-Ka-sama should not be crossed lightly. Though you should know that by now." O-Toyota Mahime threw the amber vial to Sesshoumaru. "drink this when you reach the surface. It will restore your legs, step back into salt water to regain the form you wear now. You have until the new moon to solve this… trial. Otherwise…" The Sea-Witch shrugged negligently. "…Well perhaps death would be preferable. Go."  
With a dismissing flick of her hand a jet of water hit Sesshoumaru, tumbling him far away from her cave and pelting him with coins and old bones.

~o0o~

"You would dare thwart me!" Benten's kimonos were alive with embroidered eels and they fluttered around her furiously as she approached the 'Sea Witch'.

Toyota Mahime quit her throne to bow before her mother, polite but unrepentant.

"He would not have used it any way mother. Let him miss it. Perhaps absence will make your little bird's song be the sweeter when it finally returns." Toyota Mahime shrugged, not without some deference. "If it ever returns. You knew the story when you set me this role and that I would choose to follow my part to the word."

Benten remained silent, but the water around her calmed.

"So be it."

~o0o~

* Boke coral is rose coloured, moro coral is a deep red.  
_Corallium japonicum _is a red coral found in the Japanese sea and used in jewelry making. It has become increasingly rare due to over-harvesting.

* Toyota mahime (or Toyo Tama Hime) is a japanese sea goddess. While Bentzaiten is believed to have fifteen disciples or sixteen daughters but I couldn't find any names or descriptions of the latter. Thus I decided to cast another ocean goddess from the Shinto Parthenon as one of her offspring. Toyota's tale is similar to that of Melusine, one of my favorite lesser known fairytales. However I've made her a little less friendly and a lot more willful than my sources describe her.


	15. Walking on Shards

**Disclaimer:** I do hereby disclaim all rights and responsibilities for the characters, except the wooly one and those that sound like seagulls.

~ Chapter 15 - Walking on Shards ~

Kagome sat on the battlements in the sunshine, swathed in blankets. It was three days since she had collapsed from hunger and fatigue in the kitchen gardens. Only now had she managed to convince her watchdog like advisors that she was safely recovered enough to be left alone for the afternoon. "For peace and quiet and rest." Kagome had assured her hovering nursemaids. _For Sanity's Sake _she admitted to herself.

Beside her was the seamless cambric shirt which, for some reason, her advisors insisted she carry with her wherever she went. And the lamb.

Gods! The damned lamb. On the second day of her recovery one of the advisors had shuffled in, all smiles, saying a merchant had heard her plee and had a present for her: a Sheep! And at great expense from over the seas. A footman had stepped forward, proffering a pitiful little white shape. A lamb, soft and fuzzy, it bleated pathetically. And, despite feeding the animal had continued to bleat every moment it wasn't drinking milk or comatose. And to the delight of the courtiers the thing had taken to following Kagome wherever she went.* Making it a even easier for the castle to keep tabs on Kagome's whereabouts. They servants flustered about her like mother hens, intent on protecting her from any want or hardship.

Currently the animal was lying at her feet, little belly distended with milk from the latest meal Mercifully the servants cleaned up after it and fed the animal. Kagome had once thought the animals cute. She now knew them to be noisy, messy and moreover dumb.

Kagome turned back to studying the ocean, glad of the temporary silence.

The castle wall here overlooked a full acre of broad beach, the long flat tidal flat was beginning to ebb, leaving driftwood and jetsam scattered on the sand. A shape in the distant shallows caught Kagome's attention. She leant out, careful not to disturb the lamb, and squinted against the sun, clinging to the edge of the parapet. There, though distant, she recognised the long pale form of Sesshoumaru washed up on beach.

As she watched he pulled himself up to stand on legs, staggered, fell and stood again. Not waiting to see more Kagome snatched up the cambric shirt and her blankets as she ran down the keep steps to the strand. There was a frantic bleat behind her and the scuffle of hooves as the lamb tried to follow but Kagome had hit her stride and she flew down the sandstone cobbled road that lead to the beach.

~o0o~

Sesshoumaru struggled to remain standing, disorientated by the pull of gravity and the pain. The bitter taste of the Sea Witches potion still fresh on his tongue he silently gave thanks that he had decided to swim right into the shallows before he drank it.

Sesshoumaru was a taiyoukai.  
It took vast strength and keenness to so much as scratch his skin

But now… every time his feet rested on the ground it felt as though glass was cutting into his soles, he could barely feel the sand beneath him.

Toyota Mahime had said nothing of this. His youki was rupturing off him without the salt water holding it place. Far faster than it had before, draining from him as quickly as he could draw energy from the salt shallows at his feet.  
The air, too, seemed thin and insipid, He kept trying to drink the air in the way he had breathed the water but all it did was make him feel light headed and queasy.

Sesshoumaru, blinked, trying to clear his vision which fuzzed in the dryness of the air, then he closed his eyes, mustering his self control. The girl was back, he could hear the slap of her footfall across the saturated sand flat and her scent, overlaid with unfamiliar herbs was carried just ahead of her by the breeze.

He did not look up. His previous anger at having to be rescued by her time and time again sapped away with his strength.

~o0o~

The Taiyoukai swayed on his feet, clad in nothing but his dripping hair, the air around him rippling like a heat haze with escaping youki. Kagome's own reiki hummed in a glowing skin around her.

Kagome averted her eyes and held out the shirt and blankets. "Please Sesshoumaru-sama. Here is clothing, and we can get better for you up at the castle. I... I have Tensaiga waiting for you there too…Sesshoumaru-sama?"

She reached out uncertainly, just as the Taiyoukai partially collapsed. Kagome squeaked and caught his arm, steadying him as best she could. Youki crackled against her hand and she drew it back sharply, shaking it to disburse the sting.

"For…forgive me Sesshoumaru- sama. Here…." Kagome slung a blanket over his shoulders, hastily belting it with her own sash as best she could.

"If…if you would consent to lean on me a moment Sesshoumaru-sama…" Kagome concentrated on dispersing her reiki, as much worried about the risk of burning him with the purifying aura as she was of the backlash she might suffer from his responding youki. She tucked the cambric shirt into the sash to free her hands as she did so.

The moment the white fabric garment was within Sesshoumaru's aura, though invisible to Kagome, the flow of youki that had been hemorrhaging away reduced. The Taiyoukai regained some balance and took a deep, shuddering breath in. Kagome hastily let go of his arm and stepped back as Sesshoumaru opened his eyes, looked at her and blinked rapidly. He opened his mouth as if to speak and then paused, silent.

Kagome bobbed a swift, nervous bow.  
"Um it's me Kagome. I don't know what I look like to you but the mirrors here make me look different. Please Sesshoumaru-sama: let's get you back up to the keep. The tide will come in soon and…" There was a panicked bleat and the lamb, sodden and covered in tidal silt, blundered into her leg.

"Oh Gods. You're the last thing I need. Clear off." Kagome nudged the lamb out from under her feet. Sesshoumaru's muzzy attention was caught by something behind her and Kagoe turned to see the whole retinue of advisors stampeding down the beach. Frantic cries of "Kouchi-sama" growing increasingly louder, like a flock of seagulls.

"Ah! Bother! Sesshoumaru-sama. Please allow us to get you back to… um… well my castle, so that we can find you clothing and you may rest… uh if you wish to." Kagome turned back to wave to the servants, trying to infer she had not come to harm, in the hope that they would calm down before they were within the taiyoukai's reach. "Sesshoumaru-sama. These people are harmless so please don't kill them, no matter how irritating they may get."

By this time the courtiers had reached them and Kagome spoke loudly over the babbled professions of distress at her sudden absence.  
"I am fine, you fuss unnecessarily. This Noble helped me escape the pirates. He too has been shipwrecked. Without him I would not be here today," Kagome stated, And wasn't that last word the truth. Kagome noticed Sesshoumaru had begun to sway again slightly, his eyes slightly glazed. He really didn't look well. Turning to the younger of the advisors she commanded. "Summon a kago and ready a chamber for him. He is to be my guest,"

"Kouchi-sama…" The advisors looked warily at Sesshoumaru and Kagome wondered whether or not they could see the taiyoukai's pointed ears and markingst. Even slightly slumped as he was a good foot taller than any of them and held the air of a predator.

"You will help him back to the keep and treat him with as much respect as you have myself." Kagome directed firmly. A hand gripped her arm, youki prickling like nettle stings. Kagome was surprised to find Sesshoumaru had taken hold of her arm. She waited for some word from the taiyoukai, expecting at least a terse '_I will walk_' but he barely seemed to realise her existence.

"Sesshoumaru-sama?" Kagamo craned to look into his face. The taiyoukai's pupils were dilated and she realised that he was, almost imperceptibly, shivering. "Sesshoumaru sama? Are you still with us?"

The taiyoukai shook himself and blinked rapidly, trying to focus around him. His ears were still full of water and the voices seemed to be from a long way off. There was a crowd of humans around him now and their combined perfume only added to the disorientation that assaulted his senses. Sesshoumaru's palm felt scalded where he held the miko's arm but he instinctively maintained his grip. He had felt himself been bleeding dry of youki but the strange white fabric and the presence of her reiki both stemmed the flow of ki, allowing him to muster what strength he had remaining.

Kagome's advisors began stepping forward, uncertain of the stranger laying hands on their liege-lord. Kagome waved them away, now very worried by the taiyoukai's behaviour.  
Sesshoumaru ignored the other hands that hesitantly sought to support him. He kept his grip on the miko's arm and allowed her to escort him painful step by step up the beach to the stone castle.

~o0o~

* I swear I did NOT have a clue this was going to happen until I typed it. The sheep reference from the previous chapter started as a reference to _ploughing an acre of land between shore and sea strand with a rams horn and sowing it all with one peppercorn_ but the idea escaped and well… we all know the nursery rhyme don't we.


	16. Impatience and Willow Wands

**Disclaimer:** I do hereby disclaim all rights and responsibilities for the characters, except the carbonated piece of _Salix babylonica_.

**Reviews with intelligent commentary or critisism are always appreciated.**

~ Chapter 16 - Impatience and Willow Wands ~

Kagome's servants had only allowed her lead Sesshoumaru as far as one of the guest chambers before they had whisked her away to change her out of her wet things. She then had a devil's time getting away from them again.

She listened with half an ear to the stories the old advisors plied her with, warning of the downfall of nations due to trusting strangers and the onset of plague from castaways washed up on shores. They sounded so much like O-Jii-san* that Kagome had no trouble tuning him out all together as she was dressed, fed and finally, after much cajoling, released by her keepers and to find Sesshoumaru.

The taiyoukai was almost exactly as she had left him.

Either he had dismissed the servants before they had a chance to dress him or they had not attempted it the first place. Many layered garments were laid out on the bed but had not been touched. The blanket and sash lay puddle on the floor. Sesshoumaru sat hunched on the window seat, leaning heavily against one of the windows, pressed against the glass as if trying to get closer to the warm light and looking like a wrung out rag: faded and crumpled. He was only sparsely attired, having made some effort to shrug into the damp cambric shirt and a pair of loose dark grey trousers, but nothing more. The white fabric and his wet hair clung to him and, if he had not look so terribly drained, she could have imagined him on some medieval themed pin up calendar.

Instead of striking a languid pose he was slumped bonelessly on the window-bench. A distortion of the air caught Kagome's eye, in the boundary between the shadows and sunlight around the Taiyoukai she could just pick out the swirl of his youki. Concentrating Kagome squinted at the ripples in the air, trying to pick out why the taiyoukai's aura was so visible when he normally masked it entirely. Unconsciously her reiki rose to assist and she drew in a sharp breath as the glow of Sesshoumaru's aura slid into focus. The air roiled around him, shimmering like hot water being poured into cold*. A great tear in his aura, starting at his chest and running right down his left arm to his fingers, allowed the youki to spill out into the air. He didn't stir as she approached.

Hesitantly Kagome reached for the tear in his aura. Sesshoumaru's hand whipped out and seized her wrist. Kagome yelped and leapt a foot in the air.

"Uh… Is there anything I can do to help you Sesshoumaru-sama?" Kagome asked as the grip of his hand tightened slightly. The taiyoukai scowled, very slightly, and he sharply casting her hand away, turning to stare out the window. He straightened his back, holding himself upright with painful dignity, too drained to do anything more.

"Then Might….Might I get you anything Sesshoumaru-sama?" Kagome tried. "Food perhaps. Or a drink….Tea or Sake?" Though she had no idea if she might find the latter in the castle given the hassle in the foreign herb garden.

Sesshoumaru ignored her. Kagome bit her lip. Better that, she supposed, than violence. She was greatly worried by how his youki seemed to be bleeding away but wasn't sure how she could bring up the subject with the taiyoukai. Bowing she turned to leave. She would keep an eye on him, give him a day or so to regain some strength,

Near the door Kagome noticed a wall mirror. She snuck a glance in it as she opened the door to see if it distorted the Taiyoukai the way it had altered her appearance. She had expected him to somehow have the seeming of a female to fit in with the original story but he remained unquestionably male. His markings were not visible in the mirror. In fact if anything he seemed handsomer than reality. The fact worried Kagome, though she wasn't entirely sure why.

~o0o~

Three days Kagome visited the taiyoukai, morning and afternoon, to ask if he wanted anything, or if she could help in any way. Three days she may have been talking to the wall. Sesshoumaru did not move from the windowsill, did not even change position from where he sat.

Truth was Sesshoumaru spent the time meditating. The seamless shirt had, somehow, slowed his loss of youki, even though it did not aid him in recovering any of it, so it pleased him to wear it.

It did not please him to walk. So he did not move from the window-seat. It did not please him to step when every footfall burned his feet with no mark or relief, so he did not. It did not please him to feel the silent rasp of breath in his throat when he tried to speak, so he did not attempt to talk. It did not please him to look upon the girl who held more importance by her role than he was willing to allow, so he did not look. _Cowardice! _A small voice in the back of his mind hissed. Even walking across the room wearied him and he despised it. _Weakling, Pathetic._ He ignored the judgement and continued concentrate on emptying his thoughts – in forgetting his mute tongue, his youki hollow core, his eggshell brittle feet, Sesshoumaru focused on Mu*, on nothingness and willed himself there.

On the afternoon of the third day, her seventh visit, Kagome had had enough. She had spent an hour after lunch arguing with her advisors about the stranger who kept to his rooms, wouldn't speak, wouldn't eat. She was angry at their mistrust, angry at her need to justify the taiyoukai's presence and angry at Sesshoumaru for his apathy.

Kagome stormed into the room and slapped her hand down on the side table next to the taiyoukai. The violence of her action forcing him to give his attention.

"Sesshoumaru-sama snap out of it," she barked. "I would never have believed you to be one to wallow in self pity. "

Sess started and looked at her. The sea salt dried in his hair and on the cambric shirt, stiffening them, making them brush over each other with a crisp noise as he moved. Kagome slapped the table again for emphasis, stinging her fingers. "You're certainly not the first person to lose their voice. Hell. It's not like you ever used it that much to begin with. Nor are you the first to temporarily lose your strength. And I'm sure it is only temporary."

Sesshoumaru opened then closed his mouth, momentarily at a loss. She, of course, knew of his weakness of strength… but she also knew of his muteness… The memory of the sea witches words returned to him,_ 'I want your voice. That is the original trade_'. HIgurashi Kagome would have known all along he would lose his voice. The miko, who had been deferentially tiptoeing around him the past two days, now glowering with indignant anger and he was surprised to find himself feeling somewhat chastised.

"Here." With polite fingertips Kagome slid a pad of fine paper across the table towards him. Resting on top of it was a slender stick of charcoal. "You don't have to communicate – that's your choice. But you've no excuse not to if you have something to say."

Sesshoumaru looked t the paper for a moment then tentatively picked up the charcoal and rolled it between his fingers. The scrape of the carbon as it marked the first sheet of paper was loud to both their ears as Kagome held her breath.

"可 *"

Kagome could not stop the wide beaming smile at his acknowledgment of her gift. She decided to push her advantage while he still had the writing implement in his hand

"Will you tell me what has happened beneath the ocean Sesshoumaru-sama? I didn't get a chance to tell you all of the story before – but I would like to know if it has varied much from the original so far."

~o0o~

* 祖父さん (じいさん) Ojii-san. Grandfather. You may remember Kagome was always ignoring her Grandad's stories about the Higurashi's shrine in the early parts of the story. She hasn't increased her respect for waffely old men yet.

*The difference in temperature means the two fluids have different densities and this makes them to be visible: Try it in a clear glass– it's pretty. Or clear cordial or salt water being poured into fresh water.

*無 (む) Mu –nothingness, void, no meaning, without. A concept often used in Zen Buddhism.

* 可 (か) ka Acceptable or tolerable

If you are curious about the influence of this chapters title: A lot of the narrow charcoal sticks used for sketching are made of willow. The impatience should be easy enough to identify in regards to the source.


	17. Followed to School?

**Disclaimer:** Disclaimer: only the lamb is mine own. I use it for fleecing people.

**Note de Author**: Short chapter only, but it's not like you've waited all that long for it. I'll be working on the next, hopefully longer one shortly. Edited to bring the meaning of the Kanji alongside the text - as suggested by Robin de Anglaise

**Reviews with substance make me less hungry.**

~Chapter 17 – Followed to School?~

Charcoal smudged the Taiyoukai's fingers and his cheek, the tip of one of his ears, from where he had brushed back an errant lock of his hair, intent on the task that had stretched out to fill the entire afternoon.

The lamb had come bleating into the room shortly after he had begun writing outthe narrative but Sesshoumaru had snarled soundlessly at the creature as it approached. The lamb had vented its bowels and bolted from the room. Kagome laughed, the hastily covered her mouth, too late to smother the sound.

"I should feel bad, but I wish I could have done that days ago."

With his brush had Sesshoumaru bluntly written " 余計者 憂晴し。"* _An unwelcome distraction_

Kagome quashed her smile and picked up the most recently filled sheet of paper. She had been reading upside down as Sesshoumaru wrote but scanned the lines again to be certain of what he had written.

In terse, succinct words the Taiyoukai provided a description of the eleven mer-youkai princes, the statue in the sea palace and O-Toyota hime. His meticulous writing listed the points of importance, though he made no mention of how the ground hurt his feet. That weakness he would not dignify with recognition.

Kagome had said nothing in this entire time he wrote, asked no more questions but had just let him record what he would. Once he had finished informing her of the events that had taken place under the ocean Sesshoumaru gritted his teeth and wrote out how his youki had failed him story after story, how the ocean had allowed him to contain his ki but not use it and how leaving the ocean his youki had bled from him faster than ever before. He also, grudgingly admitted that the shirt seemed to help reduce his loss of youki. Kagome read the sheet of paper silently then, to his surprise cast it, and all the other sheets of writing, into the fireplace, stirring the paper with a poker until even the ash had fallen apart.

"Sesshoumaru-sama you probably know it is there, but I can see a tear in your aura from here," Kagome placed a hand over her heart. " Right along to here," traced a finger down the brachial artery in her arm and down to her left little finger.  
"Um…. Your youki…" Kagome hesitated, searching for the words.

Sesshoumaru's finger tightened on the charcoal stick then his marks finished her sentence:

"私を出血させる 。" _I bleed dry_.

Kagome's mouth formed a surprised 'o' at the admission of weakness. She poked the coals a few more times contemplatively. "Um… I didn't notice the hole in your aura before… I mean – I could sense the youki coming off you… a bit at least. But nothing like what you were losing on the beach. If the tear was there before, but too smaller, harder to see, it would stand to reason that if the salt in the ocean water sort of held your ki in… Like purification salt might keep a lesser youkai out of a room." Kagome frowned at the embers, her thoughts trotting only just ahead of her tongue she paused to puzzled out what she meant.

Sesshoumaru waited for her to continue and she pushed on in a rush, hoping that she made sense.

"If you'd been slowly losing more youki than you were creating Sesshoumaru-sama, then the pressure of the youki in your body wouldn't have had put much strain on the tear in your aura." Half forgotten physics lessons about resistors and electrical charge danced just out of reach of Kagome's memory. She battled on with half remembered snippets of science, applying it to youkai power. "It would make sense that, in the ocean, you would have regained something like a normal level of youki – the pressure of your youki would be pushing out against the water. When you left the ocean then the barrier the salt water provided stopped." Kagome gesticulated as she spoke. " Sort of like a cut in a full water skin – the pressure behind your rushing out making the larger. "

Sesshoumaru inclined his head. Her reasoning made sense.

Kagome twisted her hands in her lap and finally asked. "Can I help?"

Sesshoumaru looked away and Kagome squirmed in her seat. Ready to be rebuffed or ignored. To her surprise Sesshoumaru turned over the piece of paper and replied.

"知らない。*" _I do not know_

~o0o~

* 憂晴し（うさばらし） usabarashi - a distraction or diversion  
* 余計者 （よけいもの) yokeimono - a person whose presence is unwelcome, unnecessary or a nuisance;  
* 私を出血させる （おれ を しゅっけつ させる）I bleed.  
* 知らない （しらない） – shiranai - I do not know.

My Japanese isn't great : if you know if I've muffed it let me know and I'll fix it asap. This is the last chapter I'll be using kanji for what Sesshoumaru says - I'll just use italics from now on (mainly because my japanese isn't strong enough to parse out the things he will be saying) but I liked the idea for this chapter at least.


	18. Machinations of Mutts and Men

**Disclaimer:** Friends, Romans, otaku, lend me your disclaimers! For I do not even possess one of those for my own.

**Note d' Authoria: **I'm off into to another state, hopefully I'll organise another chapter on my flight tomorrow. I've got the bones of it laid out - I just need to wire them together then flesh it out.

And a piece of fanart without a story by me up on deviantart up at http:[/] fav [dot] me [/] d2s79zy

**Reviews: **As always - let me know of spelling errors, grammatical flubs, if anything really drags or if there are passages that particularly tickle your fancies.

~Chapter 17 – Machinations of Mutts and Men ~

A deferential knock at the door had broken the silence that followed his written admission and Kagome had been whisked away by her advisors. Following her example Sesshomaru burnt the last few pieces of paper of writing and was left with his thoughts. He could see the tear now that she had pointed it out.  
The gaping edges of the wound in his aura flapped loose and ragged. Though he tried Sesshoumaru found he still could not touch or influence them. Their presence was like a lifting scab, unsightly and flawed.

Sesshoumaru's nostrils tightened and a muscle in his jaw twitched as he forced himself to look away and accept that, at this very moment, he could not do anything about the ugly slash that marred his aura.

Instead he found his thoughts returning to the way O-Toyota Mahime had brushed off Higurashi Kagome's importance in these stories. To his knowledge the girl's presence had been the lynch pin in every tale so far. That the Sea Witch has been so dismissive made Sesshoumaru reassess what he knew about the girl. The Taiyoukai was struck with the realisation: she was a tool, one close to hand and, if he were honest, potentially powerful if he could just learn to wield her.  
Sesshoumaru had a vast knowledge of, but no control over, his own power. Higurashi Kagome had shown little knowledge and no finesse with her own power in the past but she had exhibited some degree of control over her reiki. If he could harness her power in place of his own he might find some way to repair his aura.

A sense of purpose settled over the taiyoukai: he had been provided with a tool and, by the gods who tormented him, He had the strength of Will to make use of it.

~o0o~

Kagome say in a chair before a table piled with documents, three scribes on the far side of the table were frantically sorting, stacking and making notes on the nature of the various papers.

Apparently there was to be a Ball. For her princely birthday or to celebrate her safe return, at least as far as Kagome could discern from the rambling conversations around her. And it was to be very soon.

Kagome's advisors were almost frantically plying her with scroll after scroll that required her signature, asking questions about her preferences of food, music and ornamentation, not that it seemed to matter what her response was.

If she said 'Blue' in response to a question one advisor would reply "But your highness, Yellow is always the tradition."  
Another would counter with "But only buttercup and saffron yellow of course."  
And a third would state that "It had best be yellow then." The scribes would duly note the decision and they would move on to the next question.

Kagome had, days ago, mentally nicknamed her three most 'attentive' advisors. It was childish but gave her some satisfaction to mentally address them as 'Tonkatsu', 'Takoyaki' and 'Wan-san'*. 'Tonkatsu'-san for Tokasu-san, the oldest courtier and Minister of the Libraries and records, 'Takoyaki'-san for balding Tayako-san, who was assistant to the Royal Chamberlain* and 'Wan'-san for Netsubaki–san, the round faced, bland 'Minister for the Education of the Royal Heir'. None of them had offered her bad advice or seemed to have any self-serving interest but they were all so… clingy. They wanted to protect her from any harm or deleterious influence and, it seemed, beautiful, silent, brooding men washed up on the seashore fitted firmly into this category.

They were not pleased that she had spent as much time as she had with the Taiyoukai today. They had barely been satisfied with her looking in on him daily since he had been brought to the castle. Kagome hadn't dared tell them that it was fully her intention to duck back to the taiyoukai's apartments as soon as she could escape the paperwork in front of her.

Kagome returned her attention to the task at hand as a list of unfamiliar names was placed before her.

"All Forty eight guests from the surrounding realms have replied to promise their attendance." Tonkatsu was saying. "Of these sixteen are princesses or high ranking noble ladies representing a total of fourteen different kingdoms…"

"Sesshoumaru-sama must be invited as well." Kagome cut in firmly, noting the absence of the taiyoukai's name on the list. "I doubt he will come but I will not have him ignored in this matter."

"Forty Nine guests*?" The advisor grew pale. "It is most an inauspicious number your highness. If you would but reconsider…"

Kagome slapped her hand down on the table, her irritation flared at this latest attempt by her advisors to edge the taiyoukai out of the picture. They were constantly trying to distract her from Sesshoumaru. The last three days they had been constantly coming up with excuses to keep her busy and away from his presence. She was certain that this ball was somehow a part of the scheme. The taiyoukai had showed no form of threat, no bad influence, nothing but, somehow, his very presence in the castle ruffled feathers.

"Then you will invite another person to make fifty. I will not have you excluding my guest even if he is a little…odd."

"Kou…Kouchi-sama… As…as you wish." The old man bowed and, at his gesture, a scribe hastily made a mark on another piece of paper.

Kagome sank back in her seat, her anger fading. She was well aware that Sesshoumaru automatically separated himself from everyone else, as much by his silence, stillness and aloofness as by the wash of youki around him. Oh he'd not yet left his room since he had arrived, and no one seemed to be able to see his true appearance – but if Kagome had heard the servants unsettled muttering about him then surely everyone in the castle was wary of the pale stranger who stayed, hermit like, in the best guest room.

Kagome stood abruptly. "I am having a break from this. I will return in an hour." Picking up the tea tray that had been so recently and reverently placed by her elbow Kagome swept out of the room, ignoring the protests of her staff.

~o0o~

Kicking the trailing hem out of the way with her feet on every stride Kagome made a beeline to Sesshoumaru's room with the tea. He looked up as she entered but did not rise.

"Sesshoumaru sama. I apologise for my delay. I was waylaid. There is to be a ball – a dance and feast in two days time." She blushed as she set down the tray. "Apparently to celebrate my return."

Kagome carefully poured tea out into the cups and, with as much grace as she could muster, placed one in front of the taiyoukai.  
Sesshoumaru glanced at it and considered ignoring it. The tea did not smell at all unpleasant, perhaps even adequate. He remembered the old adage '_Where there is sugar the ants will come'*_ and delicately picked up the cup.

Kagome's face lit up and Sesshoumaru found himself surprised that such a small action on his part could have such importance to her. Much like Rin, he realised. But the miko had an adult's awareness of the additional layers of meaning in his acceptance of the offering, the second such in the same day.

Kagome was too hasty in raising her own cup, spilling hot tea on herself and the tabletop, spattering it on the papers. Kagome hissed half of an expletive and busied herself mopping the spilt fluid off the tabletop with a sleeve,  
Sesshoumaru watched her through lowered lashes as he took a sip of tea. He found it, surprisingly, more than tolerable.

"I did not get a chance to relate all of this story, or at least the version I know. May I now?" Kagome wrung out her sleeve

Sesshoumaru took another sip of his tea and inclined his head.

~o0o~

"I always thought the 'turning into seafoam' and being rescued by Tennyo* to cry for the sins of man" was a bit of a lame ending." Kagome finished her summary. The tea was almost cold, the hour was up, and she could all but hear the stampede of ministers approaching.

Kagome had seen a gleam in Sesshoumaru's eye when she had related the part about the mermaid sister giving the mermaid the knife. She had glossed over that bit as fast as she could, hoping that he wouldn't seriously consider it and decided to try to further nip it in the bud…as delicately as she could

"Sesshoumaru-sama… um. Before you consider what I think you may be thinking. And first stating that in no way am I assuming that I know what you are thinking…. Um. We were thrown into this story when you attempted to throttle me… Humbly I suggest that killing me isn't going to solve this tale."

Kagome nearly choked as the corner Sesshoumaru's mouth curled very slightly and he leisurely glanced away, taking one last sip of his tea, as if to cover the almost-smile.

The light had faded and no lamps had yet been lit. Sesshoumaru's eyes glowed slightly, reflecting the amber of the sunset outside. Kagome repressed a shiver, suddenly aware of how casually she had been addressing him and how little she knew him. She was grateful for the soft knock at the door and stood abruptly, bowing.

"If you'll excuse me again Sesshoumaru. I promised them I would return to the study. Um. If you need anything you could….um…. Send a note? Otherwise I'll return tomorrow. Excuse me." And with that Kagome fled the room as quickly as dignity would allow.

~o0o~

* Numerology lesson for today: In Japan the numbers four and nine are considered unlucky numbers due to their pronounciation. Four (四) sounds as 'shi' the same as death (死) while nine (九), when pronounced kyu is a homaphone for suffering (苦). 49, being a cumulation of both means 'pain until death'.

* 豚カツ (とんかつ) – Tonkatsu - fried pork cutlet  
(たこやき) – Takoyaki - octopus balls  
椀 (わん ) Wan –Soup bowl

* Chamberlain – the individual who manages the household for a monarch or noble

*甘いものに蟻 (あまいものにあり) amai mono ni ari –a proverb: ants go to sweet things; or the English version: you attract more flies with honey than with vinegar

* 天女 (てんにょ) Tennyo are heavenly maidens. Loosely a buddhist equivalent of angels. A Tenkyou's hagoromo (robe of feathers_) _was one of the key plot elements in the Second Inuyasha movie.


	19. A Lesson in Confidence

**Disclaimer:** I have nothing to disclaim but my own brilliance... No wait! Oscar don't pick up that chair! I'm story I mangled your quote (runs rabbiting from an effeminate dead writer who really is quite Wilde.)

**Note d' Authoria: **Sorry for the delay: I'm trying to write an interlude regarding the other characters but They're not interested in being written about and Sesshoumaru-sama [author bows, scrapes and tugs her forelock in his general direction] was insistent that he wasn't willing to wait around for their chapter to be extracted from an unwilling muse. Thus I was induced to upload this one for you.

**Reviews: **As always - let me know of spelling errors, grammatical flubs, if anything really drags or if there are passages that particularly tickle your fancies.

~ Chapter 19 – A Lesson in Confidence ~

Kagome woke to a presence in her room in the middle of the night. She froze, straining her ears then realised it wasn't a sound that had woken her – but the sharp presence of a familiar aura. She sat up and her heart sank as she recognised the shape of Sesshoumaru standing between her bed and the open window. Kagome's first wild thought was _He's come to kill me after all._ A frantic glance at his hands showed he was carrying something pale and elongated. Kagome scrabbled backwards, her shoulder blades bumping into the headboard of the bed. The taiyoukai did not move from his concentrated scrutiny of her.

"Sess…Sesshoumaru-sama?" Kagome's throat constricted and she took a deep breath, trying to ignore the pelting of her heartbeat. "Is there something wrong?"

Sesshoumaru impatiently proffered his hand and Kagome realised he held a narrow strip of paper, rather than a knife. She could make out something written on it but the light was to poor to make it out.

"Um… I can't read in this light… let me get a lamp…" Kagome fumbled in the dark for the taper she had left on her bedside table, intending to light it in the coals of the room's hearth. Sesshoumaru hissed a warning and gestured at the door. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her out of bed, half dragging her across the room to pull open the curtains, allowing her to read the paper by moonlight.

"_You will use your reiki to remove the harm done to this Sesshomaru's aura._"

"What? Right now? Sesshoumaru-sama it's the middle of the night."

A shrug. What should he care the time of day? There was a soft rustle as he folded the paper over and Kagome realised that he had made a paper fan with different responses written on each plane.

"_There will be less chance of disturbance."_

"What if someone checks to see if you're in your room or not. I don't want to imagine what my advisors are going to do if they find you here…" Sesshoumaru's lip curled in distain and he flicked forward through the folds in his fan of answers.

"_This Sesshoumaru locked his door from the inside. They will assume occupancy._" Kagome didn't know whether to be impressed with the taiyoukai or disappointed with herself that her questions were so predictable. He flicked back to the first fold. And Kagome's heart sank.

"_You will use your reiki to remove the harm done to this Sesshomaru's aura._"

"Eh? I know I asked what I could do to help Sesshoumaru-sama, but that's impossible! I'd have more luck cutting down a Sansho Tree* with a blade made of leather. I've only ever managed to use my reiki on shards or arrows and even then it fails as much as it works."

Sesshoumaru's teeth clenched as he turned the fan to its very last fold.  
_This Sesshoumaru cannot make any use his youki. Something prevents his control. You, Miko, will use your reiki in its place at this Sesshoumaru's direction. _

Kagome's eyes widened at his admission. She wanted to deny his demand, she'd accepted she had no control over her powers a long time ago, but if Sesshoumaru stated she would then she was capable. The thought frightened her as much as his recognition of her potential complimented her.

She took a deep breath in and released it.

"All right. What do I do?"

Sesshoumaru flipped the fan over, opened it and held it out to her. Neatly written on the back of the paper were her instructions, such as they were.

_Focus ki in your fingertips_

_Draw the edges of this Sesshoumaru's aura together_

_Seal the aura rift._

Sesshoumaru would have sucked as a teacher, Kagome decided, as he stood there waiting for her to comply.

She stared at her fingers, willing something to happen and trying to remember what she had done any time she had succeeded in calling up her reiki. The white of Sesshoumaru's cambric shirt dappled with moonlight kept catching her eye and distracting her. Here in the silver light she could make out a faint pattern woven into it. You could almost imagine the garment was made up of white peacock feathers. Kagome shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts and Sesshoumaru made an exasperated noise through his nose.

His lips moved soundlessly, irritated. "No. Here This!"

Sesshoumaru snatched her wrist with one hand and, fingertips resting over her pulse, he exerted his will. For half a breath nothing happened then, through sheer strength of intent, the taiyoukai managed to concentrate the barest scrape of youki in his fingertips. Kagome's skin felt prickly beneath his hand, as if touching something slightly acidic. Her own reiki flared and hummed into existence in response.

Kagome held her breath and watched the glow pulse across her skin and had just begun to tentatively feel for how the power flowed around her when Sesshoumaru released his grip. Her reiki fizzled out as fast as it had manifested. The taiyoukai scowled and twitched an eyebrow. Kagome cringed: if looks could be a slap of anger then his expression was a descending open palm. She held her own hands in front of her and desperately tried to summon her reiki again.  
Nothing.

Sesshoumaru huffed silently and clicked his teeth together in a canine snap of exasperation as he circled both of her wrists with his hands, barely touching her. His youki billowed around them both but only the faintest hum of it was retained in his hands. Kagome's reiki sprang up again, far more stable than Kagome had ever managed to maintain it on her own.

Her skin smarted where Sesshoumaru's touch rested and Kagome's eyes watered in response. She sniffed and took a deep breath in, unwilling to show weakness before the Taiyoukai. Instead Kagome concentrated on how the energy flowed around her, along her from her heart and out, down her arms and legs and back again. She took a slow breath in and closed her eyes, concentrating on directing her reiki to her hands.

Focused on the positive thought, rather than her fear of inexperience and failure, that Sesshoumaru had asked for help! Had asked for HER help. Around her Kagome's reiki gathered intensity, humming on her skin like static electricity, winding around her like an affectionate cat, arcing across her skin as if eager to have been called. Sesshoumaru had asked HER for help which meant that he knew she could achieve the task.

She opened her eyes. She could see the rent in Sesshoumaru's aura clearer than ever, beyond him she could see the world limned in ki – her hands glowed as if white hot metal.  
Sesshoumaru leant away from her fractionally, his eyes closed, though he still held both of her wrists loosely. Kagome's concentration wavered as she noticed how reddened the taiyoukai's fine white hands had become from their proximity to her purifying ki. He hissed without opening his eyes as her reiki fluctuated. Kagome steeled herself and focused again of pushing her reiki to her fingertips, away from her wrists and the taiyoukai's hands. Her fingers felt fuzzy, as if resting on a small motor – the air around them seemed to hum with energy.

Slowly she reached up with one hand to grasp at the edge of Sesshoumaru's aura. His hand travelled with hers, still loosely clasping her wrist.

Kagome pinched at the air with her fingers. The aura felt a little thicker beneath her fingers, like grasping soft jelly in water, she could almost but not quite get a grip on the edge of the aura tear. It slipped elusive from her fingers several times before she had the spider web edge of the energy caught between her fingers. She rubbed the together the fingers of her other hand as if to roughen their gripping surface then concentrated on catching the other side of the rift. This came easier. Carefully she drew them together, trying to ignore how exertion had caused a thin film of sweat on the taiyoukai's brow and her own trembling.

Kagome drew together the two sides of the tear, touching the edges in the hope they would seal on contact. No luck.

"What do I do now Sesshoumaru-sama?" Kagome asked. The taiyoukai shook his head, eyes still closed and focusing on mustering what control he could over the youki. He could not 'speak' without letting go of her wrists and them having to start anew, a fine mist of perspiration glittered on his forearms. Kagome strengthened her resolve and sought her own solution.

She concentrated on her own aura and, after a few false starts, fashioned a needle of reiki. Pinching the two edges of the aura gash together she breathed a prayer to all the gods she could remember then pushed the reiki needle through them as if sewing, pinning them together.

Sesshoumaru hissed softly and his grip on her wrists fractionally increased but did not hinder her movements. Heartened by how the reiki needle seemed to be holding Kagome drew her focus and made more, one by one, tacking the sides of the aura closed again. The flow of youki around her lessened each time. However by the time she placed the last one Kagome realised with dismay that her pins of Ki were reacting with the youki –the demonic energy gradually corroding them even as the pin holed they had created gradually burned larger from the purifying energy.

Her solution wasn't going to last long.

"Sesshoumaru-sama. I need a thread of youki. Can you … can you make one for me? I'm going to try sewing this tear shut," Kagome asked.

The taiyoukai drew in a slow breath. His colour had improved since she had pinned the tear closed. He did not look so grey and waxen. A small crease furrowed between his brows as he assessed the request. He clicked his teeth together and nodded fractionally in acceptance of the task and split his concentration.

Still encircling her wrists with his hands, Sesshoumaru touched his index claws together, slowly drawing them apart. Finer than embroidery thread and as fragile looking as a cobweb, Sesshoumaru drew the golden glow of his youki whip out for the Miko. He had begun trembling slightly but the amount of youki flowing out around them was now barely a trickle.

Kagome yelped as she took the strand of youki, almost dropping it. The tips of her fingers burned from the contact but she held on, pushing her reiki to buffer her skin from the demon ki. The reiki sewing needle she held almost fizzled out in contact with the strong thread of power Sesshoumaru had provided. Kagome, biting off a curse, set her own will on the fine shaft as she threaded it, concentrating her energy into it until the spiritual needle cast a light that made her eyes water.

As fast and as neatly as she could Kagome stitched the two sides of the torn aura together, discarding the reiki tacking needles as she went. They dissipated into the air with a faint sparkle of power. As she sewed Kagome was relieved to see the stitches absorbed back into Sesshoumaru's aura, leaving no trace of where the rent had been.

Sesshoumaru himself had slowly been releasing his grip on her wrists since he had created the thread of youki. Shamefully he found he could not maintain both the youki in his fingers and the thread. He had not been surprised when Higurashi Kagome's reiki remained strongly present even though he had stopped provoking it. The girl was intent on her task and so did not expecting it to fail her, she had not even noticed he had broken contact. Even as she had begun tacked the wound in his aura closed Sesshoumaru had felt his Youki stabilise and begin to return. He found still could not exert much more control over his ki than before but the majority of it, once again, sat warm and solid in his core.

Kagome grinned triumphantly as she tied off her last stitch and straightened, pulling her reiki needle free of it's thread. Both glimmered then faded from existence. She stood there, limned in the confident radiance of her own reiki for a moment, then as she realised she was the only one controlling her ki her eyes widened in surprise and her reiki sputtered out, like a candle.

A gust of wind ruffled the curtains, filling the silence and Kagome shivered, suddenly realising how cold she was. She felt drained. Sesshoumaru, on the other hand, almost seemed to be glowing in comparison to how she had become used to seeing him. He straightened further and flexed his talons, testing to see if he could call up his youki. A faint glow shimmered around his claw tips but nothing more. Sesshoumaru frowned slightly his hand then turned away, back towards the window, obviously intending to leave the way he came.

"Sesshoumaru-sama…?" Kagome's voice wavered. "Um…"

The taiyoukai turned back impatiently, using his claw he wrote across the surface of the white cloth that covered her bedside table. The youki in his fingertips burning words into the pristine fabric.

_This Sesshoumaru goes __to bathe. The stench is no longer tolerable.  
_The taiyoukai was out the window and gone before Kagome looked up again.

Kagome sat flabbergasted a moment then picked up the fabric and threw it in the hearth. She stood and watched as the coals flared up and flames licked hungrily over the taiyoukai's last callous message, reducing it to cinders. Her earlier elation of success had dissolved all together, leaving her feeling abandoned and isolated.

Any of her friends would have been so happy for her managing to draw on her reiki – there would have been hugs and celebration, demands for ramen and the aftermath of Miroku's attempts as congratulatory groping. Instead she was in a dark room, alone and with no idea when she would find her way home.

Kagome slumped back down onto her bed and drew her knees up under her bit back tears. She felt so very tired but without anything to show for her exertion. Though a small part of her remained triumphant: after all look what she had just done, and with no prior experience! The cold reality was Sesshoumaru didn't care, she wasn't important now that his youki wasn't bleeding out in front of her.

The fan of paper slid off her coverlet and fell the ground at her feet with a muffled rustle. Numbly Kagome stooped and picked it up, turning the folds to read his other responses, ones to the questions she hadn't thought to ask. She paused, somewhat stunned, on the second to last fold, written, stiffly, formally was the word 有難う. _Thank you_

Kagome released the breath she hadn't realised she was holding and started to silently laugh, tears trickling down her cheeks, until her mirth became sobs.

He had known she would not fail.

She folded the awkwardly written piece of paper and tucked it into her inner kimono before rolling over and cried herself to back sleep, uncertain of if she was happy or sad.

~o0o~

Sesshoumaru ghosted through the palace, he still walked as if on on glass shards but it was easier to ignore now that he at least could contain his youki again. He reveled in the comfort of having his ki stay where it should be, even if he could not draw on or influence it yet. But this pleasure was undermined by his awareness of how he was encrusted with salt, sweat and lingering the stench of fear. His own.

From the nearness of death when he had been bleeding youki, from memory of the crushing ocean depth that roused him from meditation time and time again, and from the reiki that had just sizzled round him, easily capable of purifying him in his weakened state.

He stank and it was not to be borne any longer. Scenting the air he identified the nearest large body of hot water and headed in that direction.

~o0o~

*Sansho _Xanthoxylum piperitum_, in the family Rutaceae. Not a true peppercorn tree but known as Japanese Pepper and native to that country. Another reference to that song I mentioned a few chapters ago.

* 有難う （ありがとう）arigatou, thankyou.


	20. Rivals for a Prince's Attention

**Disclaimer:** I have nothing new to disclaim that I haven't already in prior chapters: except that I am tired and will be reworking this as I work on the next few chapters

**Note d' Authoria: **Yes after all those close updates you've had to wait for a while. I apologise. I know this has gotten a bit wordy and the plot is bogging. It'll speed up again soon and I'll go through and trim this down while I am at it but I figured you deserve a post and I need to get momentum up again. Will aim to post weekly.

**Reviews: **As always - let me know of spelling errors, grammatical flubs, if anything really drags or if there are passages that particularly tickle your fancies.

_~ Chapter 20 – Rivals for a Prince's Attention ~_

Sunlight shone strongly through the open curtains when Kagome woke muzzily from sleep. Rolling over under the light goose down blankets she realised she was damp with sweat and her hands felt slightly numb – as if channeling the reiki the night before had stretched the very capillaries that carried her blood to her fingertips.

She tried to sit up and found the room spun. Dizzily she slumped back down onto the pillows. There was a soft knock at the door and, when she called out a querie, a pair of maids entered, one bearing a breakfast tray, the other an ewer of water. Kagome's feeble attempt to sit up again was so hastily assisted by the maids and with a degree of concern that she must have looked as drained as she felt.

"I… I slept poorly. I fear I may have a small cold… I would like some food though," Kagome admitted as her stomach rumbled at the thought of the hot meal in front of her being taken away. She realised was ravenous, using her reiki must have burned up physical energy, a strange thought. She concentrated on getting a grip on the edge of her breakfast tray, suddenly afraid the maids would whisk it away and leave her hungry.

"I am sure if I rest I will recover without troubling anyone further. There is no need for a physician. Just food then sleep and I am sure I'll be fine."

~o0o~

Outside the prince's door the two servants clucked and muttered to each other about the sudden poor health of their young lord. The cause of his ill health was speculated on, from the chill of the season to potential assassination attempts by poison.

"The water from the kitchen boiler's tasting a bit funny this morning. Sort of metallic, perhaps a bit salty even, and sharp, like acid*. We had to draw fresh water from the well." The younger of the maids informed the other in a hushed voice. "Perhaps we had best let someone know. It might be some sort of attempt to poison the staff or worse, the king or prince…"

The elder of the maids made a warding gesture against misfortune as they passed by the pale visitor's closed door and both of them hurried back to the kitchen in silence to see to the tainted water in the cistern.

~o0o~

There was a rattle of the doorknob late in the morning then a maid entered, without knocking. Sesshoumaru noticed, without turning his apparent attention from the window, that the tray held only settings for one.

The maid bobbed an awkward curtsey. "Sir, the prince is indisposed and asks that you be informed he will not visit today."

She turned, curtsied again, though only as briefly as was polite, and walked from the room, the door closing faster than necessary behind her. Sesshoumaru sniffed the air. The tea, at least, was not substandard, despite the incivility of the servant, the gossip he could hear through the wall, however, was not so innocent.

From the hall outside Sesshoumaru could hear several female voices, the one who had delivered his tea was describing in an almost frantic whisper how 'that pale man' was no longer looking so poorly. There was sudden speculation that the prince's sudden illness might be connected to his recovery. The other servants there muttered implications but they were moving away now and he could no longer clearly hear the conversation. Sesshoumaru's improved health had not only been observed – it seemed distinctly unwelcome to these humans.

It seemed that the humans were inclined to believe that the sudden illness of Higurashi Kagome was connected to his recovery. Dangerous suppositions when held in the light of the bare tolerance with which the royal advisors regarded his presence.

Sesshoumaru ran a claw across the glass of the window, delicately slicing a line down the side of the pane that reflected a strange human version of his own face. Time was wasted in this place. The taiyoukai decided that he would find out the extent of Higurashi Kagome's 'illness' and prevent it from prolonging the role the 'fah-ri-tai-ru' had inflicted upon him.

~o0o~

Kagome stirred in her bed, still slightly feverish but no longer so drained or tired. She opened her eyes to find herself in darkness, she had slept the day through, only waking to order the departure of the court physician and courtiers who, by their constant checking on her, prevented her from resting.

A piece of paper rustled nearby and, muzzily she looked about to see the source, certain that it was not the one still tucked under her pillow. Despite the dark and she recognised Sesshoumaru standing as still and pale as the curtains.

It appeared He had taken it on himself to visit her again. The taiyoukai proffered a piece of paper.

"Mmm surry Sesshoumaru-sma," Kagome slurred as she struggled, still half asleep but now recovered enough to sit up on he own. "Still can't see what you've written. 'v not got youkai eyesight y'see."

Sesshoumaru picked up a hot coal from fire in his fingers and, blowing on it, held the glowing ember up behind the paper so she could read:

_You are ill. This delays progress._

Kagome barked a selfconcious laugh and rubbed her face. "I'm just really… really tired… maybe a bit of a fever. I've never controlled my reiki like that. I think it's taken it's toll." Her eyelids began to sag and she barely managed to cover her yawn with a hand. "I'll promise be better soon, tomorrow even Sesshoumaru-sama. I'm sorry I'm not much help at the moment."

Sesshoumaru subtly sampled the air to verification of her self-diagnosis. There was no scent of illness about her, which seemed to authenticate her claim. There was also no sense of her miko aura either though. Flicking the coal back into the fireplace the taiyoukai briskly poked the back of her hand with a finger. He intended to use his youki to invoke her reiki to assess how drained her resources actually were.

With a yelp of pain Kagome yerked into full wakefulness, snatching her hand back, weakly batting his own away.

"Please Sesshoumaru-sama: that burns!"

He huffed a silent 'Hn' through his nose. Her reiki WAS distinctly depleted though it appeared to be returning. He considered exerting the effort to write down what he had just learned for her and swiftly dismissed the thought. It did not advance his own purposes - he would not waste time on informing her.

Instead he mouthed the word 'Sleep' and left the way he had come.

~o0o~

Kagome rubbed the hand the youki had touched – it had felt like an electric shock and she could still feel reiki humming lightly under her skin where his finger had momentarily pressed.

The jolt of pain and her irritation with Sesshoumaru inflicting it then leaving without explanation had woken her fully now. Kagome was no longer so tired, anger and a dab of adrenaline gave her the energy to stay sitting up in her bed, considering.

She concentrated on the small measure of reiki she had available. Rather that trying to control a large amount of her holy energy as she had in the past when firing arrows Kagome grasped at the ki as she had the edges of Sesshoumaru's aura, as if teasing out a spider web. Her fingers itched and tingled, then stung as though raw but she persevered. Her reward was a faint glow of energy visible about her fingers, then a sense of the veins the reiki flowed in. Closing her eyes she internally mapped the paths of her reiki, able to trace the faint traces of her own power. Kagome's breath slowed, her head nodded and, muscle by muscle, she relaxed naturally slipping into an unconcious healing trance, almost asleep, almost meditating, sitting upright in her bed.

~o0o~

Though each step sent twinges of pain echoing up through the taiyoukai's calves he carefully moved through the deserted halls of the castle. He could feel his aura humming out around him, traces lingering behind him, hot in the night air behind him, like a blood trail. However he doubted there were any other youkai or ki-sensitives apart from himself and Higurashi Kagome to might note it. The night was late and most of the servants had long since gone to bed. Contrary to Kagome's initial assumptions there were guards scattered the castle. Not many and they were easily avoided by the taiyoukai as he ghosted through the keep.

Sesshoumaru was barefoot. He had found he could not abide the feel of any sort of footwear, from supple leather boots to slippers of the softest wool. The guest room had supplied all manner of shoes. All burned when he wore them, making him clumsier, at least in his own reckoning, than his afflicted feet already were when bare.

The scent trail of where he had come in three days ago had long since been obliterated by the comings and goings of the castle but he was not seeking escape – he was seeking information.  
Sesshoumaru clicked his teeth ever so slightly and pressed on through the terraces and hallways of the castle, listening for the specific voices that would better inform him of the politics within the castle.

Rarely one to stoop to subterfuge the taiyoukai's goal this night was to find out the agenda held by the advisors to the 'prince'.

There was something unsettling about the venom in the gaze of the old men that followed after Higurashi Kagome. Even more so if they considered him a cause for her current state. The advisors trailed as close behind Higurashi Kagome as the lamb did, but with purpose rather than blind besotted favour. There was no malice directed at the girl – but they closed ranks and glowered at him whenever she wasn't looking – like a herd of oxen protecting a calf from a potential predator. They did not fear him, which, though irritating, meant that they did not see him as the direct threat... Yet And, while Higurashi Kagome was around, they would not openly move against him.

Sesshoumaru settled into the shadows, pulling himself up to sit on a ledge tucked under the window, shamed with the relief he felt at lifting his feet from the ground.

An informal council of some sort was taking place in the room behind him. He could hear a total of eight heart beats, though only five voices spoke. They were in hushed tones, only occasionally raised in passion or outrage but Sesshoumaru's sensitive hearing meant he heard their very breathing clear enough.

"What are we to do with this white stranger? The prince is so besotted with him he does not listen to a word we say."

"Has anyone consulted the temple? The shrine maidens there should know how we might break the infatuation. If he were a woman I would not hesitate to say it is witchery but…"

There was an irritated huff. "If the prince showed more interest in women there would not be this issue."

"If the other kingdoms were to find that our Prince has been bewitched by some strange man of unknown origin…"

"What of the royal succession if he will not chose a wife? He has shown no interest in the portraits of potential brides, and I've been informed several of the maids have made unsubtle passes at him that have been ignored or politely rebuffed. What If he prefers men?"

"At least he's not chasing young boys." One of them remarked sourly. "You remember the scandal with Shou Sai Tou-dono two years ago." There was a collective mutter of voices.

"If we cannot distract the prince from this man then how might we remove this man from the princes presence – at least until we have the heir married and succession established? Kouchi-sama appears very attentive of him…"

"Do you think we could convince this stranger to leave?" One of them asked.

"You'd be willing to ask? He frightens me – I am willing to admit it"

"Can a sparrow understand the aspirations of a phoenix,*" another sagely offered, there was a snort of derision.

"Then how about a temporary disappearance of some sort?"  
"It would disturb the plans for the ball if we had to search for the prince's guest. What of a temporary malady, a stomache upset perhaps. Some mild poison?" A voice chirped

Sesshoumaru's claws dug into the masonry, little bits of mortar crumbled down silently onto the pavement far below.

"Too blatant and the only thing he seems to consume is tea. What about a hunting accident?"

"The prince's guest never leaves his apartments. Short of having a wild pig run through the castle it's not a likely method."

"Snakes? No we've no venomous ones on the island… though I suppose we could import one…"

"There'd be as much risk of the prince finding it. No we should find out if the prince's guest has an allergy to blossoms and send bouquets"

"A Catapult could do... if the trajectory was right it could take him days to swim back."

As the suggestions became wilder and sillier Sesshoumaru relaxed. He could smell sake now and the ministers appeared to have vented the worst of their worries and were settling in to relax for the evening. They soon lost interest in plotting his absence and, for a while, silence held court.

Finally the eldest of the voices commented. "There has been no harm yet, for all that this stranger is unsettling. We've the three dresses now made and in two nights the ball will go ahead. The prince will surely choose a princess and we won't need to worry about any of this. On that note I intend to retire for the night."

There were soft noises of fabric and murmured courtesies as the room cleared, leaving Sesshoumaru to his thoughts.

Two nights… Sesshoumaru glanced at the sky and the waning moon. Two nights until the new moon and O-Toyota Mahime's deadline to solve this 'trial'. The taiyoukai remembered Higurashi Kagome's story about the mermaid reduced to bubbles and glowered at the moon. He would not allow such a thing to come to pass.

~o0o~

*Guess where Sesshoumaru had his bath ^_^

* 燕雀鴻鵠 【えんじゃくこうこく】 (exp) How can a small bird (a sparrow, a petty person) understand the aspirations of a great bird (a phoenix)  
Simply because I love proverbs.


	21. Eggplants and Melons

**Disclaimer: **I didn't eat three Chocolate brownies this afternoon (ashamed voice I ate 3.5) but it got this chapter, full of people I don't own, finished and out into the nether realms of the nets.

**Note d' Authoria: **Yes after all that wait Three chapters! At last we are moving again. This one took me a while to nut out how to attack. The others have been sitting waiting since.

**Reviews: **As always - let me know of spelling errors, grammatical flubs, if anything really drags or if there are passages that particularly tickle your fancies.

~ Chapter 21 – Eggplants and Melons ~

The castle was ablaze with activity, strains of music shivered through the night air as the musicians tested their instruments and the fragrance of human cuisine drifted up from the kitchens of the castle.

The sun had just sunk below the horizon and the sky was painted in twilight shades of purple and blue. Sesshoumaru stood at the window of his room, watching the light dim outside. Behind him on the table the tea service had long turned cold and the single cup was untouched.

Higurashi Kagome had made good on her promise of recovery to her advisors – She had woken the morning after her fatigue as energetic as ever and the old men had ensured that she did not get the chance to be left alone with the Taiyoukai again. The preparation for the ball had given them plentiful excuse to keep her away from the pale stranger. There were fittings to be made, menus to be corrected, decorations to be approved and portraits to be viewed.

She had invited the taiyoukai to the event, had repeated the request the few times she had seen him. He had no inclination to attend, even to spite the advisors. Spite was petty and Sesshoumaru had long since had his fill of that emotion over to his brother's heritage.

"I wouldn't dwell too much on such things. You haven't much time left." Sesshoumaru spun on his heel at the unexpected voice behind him. The very oldest of the courtiers was standing in the corner of the room. He had not entered by the door or, Sesshoumaru's own preference of travel, the window, but seemed to have simply manifest in the shadows…. The angles and planes of his face had shifted vaguely, and he was no longer quite the decrept old man Sesshoumaru had assumed. In fact there was something distinctly familiar about his face and Sesshoumaru found himself remembering the deer youkai from the ocean palace.

The old man's chinese robes were embroidered with tortoises and cranes, a large, ornate fan* was tucked into his belt. He smoothed his moustaches with a gnarled hand and smiled benevolently at Sesshoumaru, ignoring the Taiyoukai's wary frown.

"Yare yare," The old man clucked. "She certainly has cut work out for herself hasn't she. As eggplants won't grow on melon vines*, she can hardly expect a youkai to be a human princesses. Why O-Benten is so intent on you I really couldn't fathom. However you do seem to be stuck on this part of her challenge."

Sesshoumaru felt his hackles rise but stifled his irritation. Again there was the faint incense taste of divine power in the air, almost suppressed but not quite. The taiyoukai wondered if that hint of aura had been purposefully left 'visible', it had not been present earlier when he had spied on the advisors. The old man's eyes twinkled as if he were reading the taiyoukai's thoughts.

"O-Toyota Mahime asked me bring you a message. Though I can't say I encourage you to follow any advice she might give: She has said, should you wish to reclaim your voice, that she has an exchange she is willing to make and will be present on the shore when the moon rises." The old man smoothed his sleeves.

"Whether you decide to accept her offer or not I would advise you to use some haste.- Time and tide wait not for man*, nor Youkai, after all."

The old man bowed with exquisite and formal correctness before turning and letting himself out of the room, as if he were a mere human, softly closing the door behind him.

Sesshoumaru flexed his claws in thought for a moment, studying the skyline a moment, then, decided, he turned to the window and reached for the latch.

~o0o~

The seaweed lay in great tangles, boldly delineating the border between the salt water and the seastrand as Sesshoumaru picked his way down to the seashore. Behind him the sound of music drifted from the great hall as the evening's entertainment commenced. He still wore the pale linen shirt. Kagome had ordered more clothing for him but the servants, though swift to for fill any task specific to the prince, had found excuse after excuse to delay provide it to the unwanted guest. Fortunately the cambric shirt seemed to hold the same virtue as Sesshoumaru's old clothing – remaining clean and unstained despite constant use.

The moonlight gleamed off his silvery hair and the carefully woven white shirt, glowed on his dove grey wool trews and his shell pale skin. Had anyone chanced to look down on the beach, they would have thought him already wrought of seafoam.

The taiyoukai stopped when he reached the ocean edge, The waves hissed about his bare feet, immediately washing away the pain he had learned to endure. The taiyoukai scowled at the gently ebbing water and took a step back, denying himself the relief the ocean offered.

There was a genteel snort of derision behind him and Sesshoumaru turned, unsurprised. O-Toyota Mahime stood on the wet sand, her kimonos aswirl with slate grey storm winds and waves. Her expression was at odds with the tempest of her clothing. The sea-witch's mouth was set in s tight, satisfied smile, though her eyes remained cold and hard.

"Still so stubborn little dog. Is it that you are afraid of wet paws or being free of pain? "

Sesshoumaru twitched an eyebrow and the goddess laughed. "I waive any expectation of an answer. My isn't this delightful." She circled the Taiyoukai, scrutinising him.

"Well. The girl is of more use than I thought," the sea witch observed wryly. "She did a very neat mending job. Perhaps mother will have use for her as a temple priestess after all. I had always thought the girl completely useless…" O-Toyota Mahime tapped her red lips with a mother of pearl finger.

"I suppose you think you have her in hand now. But remember, always, that she is a miko for all that she is human. She will betray you sooner or later little dog. That is the divine order of the world – that the holy and pure cast down and destroy the evil and unnatural."

Sesshoumaru did not grant the goddess so much as a flicker of expression in response to her prediction. O-Toyota Mahime shrugged carelessly and changed the subject.

"Mother was not happy with my bargain with you." The sea goddess played negligently with a lock of her hair, looking slyly at the Taiyoukai. "You seem to none the worse for it. However I will give you a chance to win your voice back. Take these." She reached into a sleeve and drew forth a package wrapped in silk, proffering it.

Sesshoumaru, at her gesture accepted and untied the parcel. Inside were a pair of red shoes, they glittered the colour of fresh blood. O-Toyota Mahime's expression was eager though something in her eyes remained cold and cruel.  
"The girl will know what they are for…. Give them to her should you wish to speak again… But she must be overlooking the ocean when you give them to her. That balcony there, perhaps, would be best, before they are given. Haste little hound. Midnight marches closer."

With that a sharp wind sprang up, whistling past Sesshoumaru, to spatter him fiercely with sand and Toyota Mahime was gone.

~o0o~

Kagome found herself hiding behind a plush velvet curtain in one of the antichambers of the great hall. She was certain the curtain couldn't hide her for very long but any breathing space was more than welcome as relief. Sesshoumaru hadn't turned up at the ball, she had expected no less, even if a small part of her had been hopeful. Honestly she would have to stop thinking about hiding behind him the way she could with Inuyasha.

Kagome had spent the last three hours being passed back and forth between advisors, ambassadors and prospective brides. It had taken several hours but finally, finally! She had escaped. Kagome was tired, irritable and desired escape. As if in answer to her wishes Kagome felt a draft brush her ankles from further behind the curtain. Slowly, surreptitiously and attempting to move the curtain as little as possible, Kagome followed the wall and finally found the source of the breeze. A set of double doors opened out onto a terrace and freedom… and Sesshoumaru too Kagome realised as she slipped through the door, closing it quietly behind her.

The taiyoukai stood with his back to the door watching the play of moonlight on the ocean. Though he showed no sign of it Kagome knew he was aware of her presence.

Out of the miko's sight Sesshoumaru's hand tightened around the silk wrapped bundle as he weighed up the Sea Witch's bargain against the Old Man's advice. Tensaiga remained silent at his side, giving no opinion.

Kagome hung back a moment, uncertain if her company would be accepted. Over the last two days she had missed sharing tea with the silent taiyoukai. She didn't expect he had missed her company. Sesshoumaru turned, assessed her ornate court garb and raised an eyebrow in something approaching sympathy and she smiled in relief. His expression was thoughtful but not forbidding.

Unable to help herself Kagome curtsied in her princely clothes and, cheekily, asked Sesshoumaru if he were "inclined to dance". His face immediately expressed distain but with a touch of amusement that she might have imagined. Kagome laughed apologetically "I didn't expected so."  
She walked over to the balustrade and, keeping a respectful distance from the dog demon, leant over to watch the water a moment. It looked cold and curled against the cliffs hungrily. She shivered but wasn't sure why.

Sesshoumaru cleared his throat and Kagome looked up startled and noticed the bundle in his hands. He slid it across the balustrade towards her.

"For me?" Kagome carefully picked up the package, unsure of the meaning of the gift. Sesshoumaru had taken a half step back and was watching her expectantly. Hastily she untied the knot that held the silk closed, letting the fabric fall back to reveal a pair of garnet red embroidered shoes.

"Ah! Ruby slippers!" Kagome clapped the soles of the shoes together with delight. "I know what these are! These should get us home! You put them on and click the heels together three times and say "There is no place like home." three times and then…." Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow at her excited babble and looked down. Kagome followed his gaze and found herself looking down at his feet, bare feet, dusted with white sand and far, far larger than the shoes. Then at her own feet – which, even in their leather boots, looked of an exact size for the glistering footwear.

"Um… if Sesshoumaru would allow, perhaps if I try it and I hold your… um hand… or even a sleeve, it would carry us both home, and before my advisors try to marry me off to one of those women."

Sesshoumaru stood still a moment then inclined his head.

Kagome kicked off her own boots and hastily pulled the slippers on. "Oh I can't wait to see everyone again…I bet shippo will…" As she lifted her foot to tap the second slipper properly on Kagome reached for the taiyoukai's sleeve but stiffened the moment as the shoe slid into place.

Abruptly she bounced up onto her toes and chass éd away from the taiyoukai, her arms stiffly rising out to gesture, birdlike. Startled Sesshoumaru watched as the miko began to dance, slowly at first, but with increasing speed and an unearthly grace despite the rigidity of her movements. Like a victim of Kitsune-tsuki* the girl seemed to be fighting, without success, some impulse that commanded her to dance across the patio.

With a sinking feeling Sesshoumaru remembered the silvery slippers that had compelled him against his will in the inn keepers kitchen.

Kagome feet pattered and spun, her hands fluttering as if she were holding fans as she was launched into an energetic dance that passed near the Taiyoukai.

"These aren't the ruby slippers," Kagome panted for breath as she whirled by,  
"I.. I can't kick… them off! I can't stop!"

Sesshoumaru reached for her, intending to lift her off the ground and shake the shoes free but she curved like a willow branch, evading his fingers with an inhuman fluidity. He clicked his teeth in irritation and followed her across the paving stones at his true speed – but she evaded him. The faster he pursued the faster she danced, only slowing when he did so himself, infuriatingly out of reach. While granted youkai speed and by the slippers it did not come without a cost for the girl.

Sesshoumaru felt a predatorial urge to continue pursuit against all consequences but Higurashi Kagome's breath came in sobs now and her feet carried her on, closer and closer to the edge of the cliff beyond the terrace. Her steps becoming wilder and more frantic as she drew nearer the brink.

Waves splashed hungrily against the Cliff edge as Kagome whirled along the edge, her eyes wide with fear and she reached for his help with frantic hands.

Sesshoumaru remembered the wind that had carried the Sea Witches' parting words. "_A sacrifice little hound, in return for your voice back. If you will not pay tribute to my mother then pay tribute to me."_

The cliff edge crumbled beneath Kagome's feet and, face pale and grey eyes wild with fear she tumbled from sight, too breathless to so much as shriek.

Sesshoumaru snarled soundlessly and dived after her, kicking off from the cliff edge in a vain attempt to catch up with the plummeting girl.

~o0o~

* 寿老人（じゅろじん） Jurojin is another of the seven lucky gods also known as **Gama**, is often interchangeable with Furuokuju. As with the other god he grants longevity and is symbolized by cranes, deer and turtles. He is often depicted with a fan.

＊瓜のつるに茄子はならぬ (うりのつるになすびはならぬ),- Uri no tsuru ni nasubi wa naranu. Eggplants do not grow on melon vines; an onion will not produce a rose

*歳月人を待たず (さいげつひとをまたず), saigetsu hito o matazu - Time and tide wait for no man.

* Chassé – a ballet gliding step-together movement – as a child pretending to ride a horse might make.

* 狐憑き or 狐付き (期すねつき) Kitsune-tsuki The state of being possessed by a fox .


	22. A Drop in the Ocean

**Disclaimer: **I state no ownership over these characters. They owe me no subscription - so let fall your terrible pleasure and please review wildly and with many many words^_^

Authoress' note: I have another chapter but I shall be cruel and hold off putting it up until tomorrow -_^  
It' a great one. I've been working on it since chapter one.

~Chapter 22 – A Drop in the Ocean~

They hit the water in close succession, Kagome without grace, Sesshoumaru like a silver knife, cutting into the water behind her her. The girl threshing as soon as she was submerged, trying to reach the surface as the thick velvets of her costume supped up water and pulled her down. Below her Sesshoumaru spasmed as the salt water surrounded him, returning him to merman form.

Coughing bubbles as he began to breath water once more Sesshoumaru batted his hair out of the way, ignoring the minor tremble of his limbs, He grabbed the miko's wrist as she sank past him and felt the familiar bite of her reiki then another energy that surrounded them both. He felt Higurashi Kagome relax slightly under his hand and glance at her. She seemed able to breath now and flashed him a small shakey but grateful smile. The red slippers drifted down into the darkness, their spell broken by the salt water.

Youki. Some of his own youki solidified in his veins and tingled in his fingertips. Sesshoumaru extended his free hand to call upon his [energy whip]. The weapon sprang into existance eagerly, gold light rippling out into the water, Kagome fruitlessly kicked and struggled, trying to evade the gleaming strand that drifted like a jellyfish tendril. The whip flicked around her, neatly slicing off the heavy jacket and over vest she wore, allowing them to fall away. Moments before the razor sharp length sliced into the girls calf Sesshomaru flicked his fingers, retracting it with satisfaction. He had regained some of his powers it seemed. Kagome had her eyes tightly closed and her free hand covering her face, still braced for the touch of his whip. Sesshoumaru he shook her briskly and her eyes popped open. She gave a frightened little laugh and looked down to find herself reduced to undershirt and trews. No longer burdened with finery she would have floated upwards but for Sesshoumaru's grip on her wrist.

The taiyoukai glanced around the water, certain O-Toyota Mahime would shortly come to claim her prize. At his hip Tenseiga whined within it's scabbard with a resonance like a wine glass. The sword did not like the salt water at all but it was also a warning noise – something powerful was approaching, something predatory.

A huge shape appeared in the distant water, manifesting into a massive shark. O-Toyota Mahime rode upon it's back. The shark circled them and Kagome cringed behind the taiyoukai. He tightened his grip on her wrist protectively. He would not be manipulated by the Goddess.

The shark slowed in the water and O-Toyota Mahime rose from her thrown, her perfect brow wrinkled in irritation.

"Do you now defy my offer little dog? Have you become so fond of the girl as to give such value to her? Or have you made a pet of her? How distasteful – for one such as you are to lay hand on a miko."

Kagome glanced back and forth between the two powers. The sea witch frightened her more than the shark, and that terrified her, but Sesshoumaru stood, in a manner of speaking, between them and, against all reason, she felt safe.

"You will not bow to my will?" O-Toyota Mahime's voice was perilously soft. Sesshoumaru's expression answered clear enough as his free hand fell to rest on Tensaiga's hilt. "Then I shall have you bow against your own."

O-Toyota Mahime drew a clawing hand before her and the water around the two began to solidify, as it had when Sesshoumaru last confronted the Sea Witch. But Tensaiga had not been present then. The blade pulsed, eager despite the salt water. The taiyoukai flicked the sword from the scabbard in one swift motion, shattering the death in the water with the keen edge.

"Defiance?" the Sea Witch snapped. "Know your place." With that she used both hands to claw across the water, the light trembled and rippled as blades of energy sheered through the water towards the taiyoukai. Again Tetsaiga flicked out, easily repelling the schisms in the water. But Sesshoumaru was not used to fighting in water and paid the price.

As the water boiled around him, the currents sheering and whirling away from Tensaiga's edge, Sesshoumaru's white mane was caught in the aftermath. The water sliced raggedly through the locks of his glorious long hair close to his head, leaving them to roil away like kelp, twisting abandoned in the current. Kagome unconsciously cried out at the loss. There was a hiss of anger from Sesshoumaru and Kagome flinched away from him, still tethered by his grip on her wrist.

"You….." The word growled out of him, reverberated through the water, the first sound he had made since his first bargain with O-Toyota Mahime. Ki flared around Sesshoumaru, half blinding Kagome, scorching her wrist. Pent up fury had found a release and seemed to be manifesting as pure demonic energy.

The sea goddess's smug expression fell away and her eyes widened. Youki pulsed out through the water as Sesshoumaru, suddenly in full control of his ki, turned on her. A bargain had been satisfied – value for value, loss for loss. The taiyoukai abandoned Kagome to launch himself at the deity.

The instant the Taiyoukai dropped his grip on her wrist Kagome lost her ability to breath. Fortunately whatever magic had allowed her to breath in the water left her with lungs full of air rather than brine. Desperate she clawed for the surface, kicking with all her might to reach fresh air.

Treading water she looked down into the midnight waters beneath her and tried not to think about the shark

There were pulses of glowing light flickering below her, bright despite the depth of the water, becoming faster and more frantic. Kagome trod water, trying to guess how the battle below was going. She wasn't entirely confident that Sesshoumaru would return for her even if he was triumphant. She was about to swim for the cliffs and the shore when Kagome felt as much as heard the terrified shriek of a woman reverberate through the water from below. There was a rumble through the water and Kagome swam as quickly as she could away from the cliff face as large chunks of stone crumbled and fell into the water.

~o0o~

The shark did not impede Sesshoumaru's progress a jot. The moment he sliced through the water intent on the goddess the shark twisted free and fled. O-Toyota Mahime was not so willing to give ground. She called up clouds of ink to obscure the waters. Sesshoumaru answered with his dokkasu, thrilling at the taste of his poison in the water, the salt changing the nuances of the toxins and making the area sparkle with phosphorescence.

The currents roiled against him but Sesshoumaru cut through them with claw and fin. He had been given a fish form that excelled at attack and he did so with a fierce joy.

He ignore the small voice asking what had become of the miko, here was battle, here was retribution, here were his powers anew and Sesshoumaru could think of no better person to use them upon. O-Toyota Mahime, still furious but unable to counter Sesshoumaru's attacks, began to retreat but he would have none of it. The taiyoukai was intent on the destruction of O-Toyota Mahime for all of the humiliations he had endured.

Her kimono tattered and hair in disarray and ruby blood seeping from countless wounds O-Toyoto Mahime finally turned in the water and fled shrieking "Mother! Mother Save me!"

There was a rumble and a pulse of energy through the water, pummeling both of the beings.

"This is Not Acceptable. From either of you." Benten's voice rang out through the water and Sesshoumaru felt the water thicken around him once again. This time Tensaiga would not obey and his brief struggle to escape the water's hold left him twisted in the water facing towards the surface of the water and the distant figure of Higurashi Kagome He noted with a strange sense of betrayal that she was frantically swimming away. As light seemed to fade around he noted a very large fish heading directly for Higurashi Kagome.

~o0o~

Kagome clung to the dolphin's back and trod water as she watched more of the castle cliff crumble off into the sea. If it hadn't been for the marine creature's arrival she would still be there, pummelled into the water by the falling chunks of stone, abandoned as she had been by an angry taiyoukai.

"Good luck turning him into sea-foam." She muttered, spitting out a mouthful of salt water.

The tempest still raged further down the coast but, it seemed for now, Kagome was safe.

"How… unexpected." A female voice ennunciated crisply from the air behind Kagome.

She turned in the water, startled by the sudden company Kagome lost her grip on the dolphin and submerged again, coming up spluttering and grasping for the slick mammal's dorsal fin.

Standing elegantly on the back of a huge sea turtle was the goddess Benzaiten. Her hair ornamented with boke coral and her dark fabric kimonos were brightened with embroidery of reef life and fish.

Her expression was stormy and new dark clouds seemed to be rolling in from the other direction.

"I had not expected him to be so… resourceful," the goddess remarked. She appeared calm but Kagome could feel power rising off her like a mist of cold fury. "Nor that he would think to use my own domain, even my own daughter to thwart me."

Kagome cleared her throat, resisting the impolite urge to spit the taste of salt from her mouth. "I... By your leave - I think you pushed him too far... Sesshoumaru-dono... he did not appreciate being stranded on the beach, unable to stand. I think that I was there to witness it only made his anger greater..."

The lady's mouth pursed and she fixed Kagome with a sharp gaze. "I do not believe I have pushed him enough. This act of his does not bespeak the humility and reverence I would have him learn."

"What could be more humiliating than being half fish and washed up on a beach?" Kagome scoffed. Then immediately regretted it.

She could almost hear the lady's thoughts as those pale green-grey eyes focused on her. _What indeed?_

Kagome frantically tried to avert her eyes from the lady's gaze but found, as if transfixed by a snake, that she could not. Once again her thoughts were peeled through, disrupted like the tearing away of the skin of an orange to get at the flesh beneath. The Lady pried into her memories of childhood books. This time there was no gentleness. The Lady's anger, even though it was not directed at herself, burned like salt water in a cut - every intrusion stung.

Unable to find any other way to escape, Kagome's grip on consciousness cut its ties in self-defense and she drifted into darkness.

~o0o~

When Kagome returned to her senses she found herself lying on sand, one side encrusted with the fine grit, and a pounding headache. Evidently the dolphins had gotten sick of trying to hold her up. But she was on solid land and glad of that at least.

There was a rustle of silks very close and she opened her eyes to see kimono hem very close to her.

Wincing as the headache subsided Kagome rolled herself up onto her knees. Benzaiten was standing beside her, holding something.

"Come. You will need this. Eventually. Ensure that you do not lose it."

An ivory and lacquerwork comb was dropped into her lax hand. With numb fingers Kagome picked it up and tightly held it in her hand. Looking up again she saw the lady was waiting expectantly, holding out a hand to help her rise.

Wary of such a friendly gesture after the past few encounters with the entity Kagome slowly extended her own hand and began to rise.

The woman's fingers were soft and surprisingly cool. As Kagome took her first step forward Benzaiten tightened her grip and tugged Kagome forward, startled and off balance she stumbled and woke up...


	23. Swan's Down and Leather

**Disclaimer: **I take no responsibility to what happens to Sesshoumaru when he irritates goddesses.. again. Nor to what Kagome is put through in the mean time.

**Authorial Note:** And I wrote this chapter a long long time ago - at last I can share it. Enjoy.

**Reviews? **Yes please: especially if you find typos, grammatical flubs or incontinuity.

~Chapter 23 - Swan's Down and Leather~

Kagome stepped into a different place, her leg jarring as the ground was suddenly a foot lower than it had been. Stumbling across the turf she righted herself in time to see a crossbow bounced off the ground beside her as if she had just dropped it. Looking down she realised that her costume had again changed. Now she was dressed in the hunting garb of a western noble, again male.

A piercing cry of pain echoed from above and a large white shape plummeted downward. Now and then it would beat its great wings awkwardly, slowing its spiraling descent slightly before tumbling again.

Kagome looked down at the crossbow. The bolt was missing.

A story where a hunter shoots a swan came to mind…. Coupled with Benzaiten's contained fury.

"Oh! Crap!" Kagome ran for the bird, trying to judge distance and how fast it was falling. She managed to get herself under the feathered mass in time to catch it in her arms, tumbling backwards as she took the momentum of the swan's fall.

"This is Sick! Sick and Twisted." Kagome panted at the swan as she righted herself yet again, still holding it in her arms. It hissed at her, jabbing wildly at her face with its beak, the arrow jutting mercilessly from its thrashing right wing.

Kagome swallowed, mind racing. The overriding thought was how absolutely furious Sesshoumaru must be. Bad enough that his youki would not answer his demands, and he had needed to ask a human for help, but now…

"Ow!" The sharp ribbed edge of the swan's beak tore along the back of her hand, drawing a shallow cut that proceeded to trickle blood over its white plumage.

"Son of a…." Kagome grabbed for the bird's head and wrapped her fingers tightly around the beak, being careful not to cover the swan's nostrils. The bird began to thrash against her hold, spattering them both with flecks of blood.

"I hope you will one day… forgive me for this... this indecent familiarity…Sesshoumaru-dono…" Kagome gasped as she wrestled with the snake-like length of the bird's neck.

"But you need to calm down…" She bodily lifted the Swan and tucked its writhing body in against her own, trapping its feet against her hip and gripping most of its neck under her arm. The bird struggled further then stilled, head pressed against her chest. She could feel its heart pounding through its frame, hers too.

"I hope you will forgive me, Sesshoumaru-dono – I understand the humiliation and frustration you must be currently feeling." Kagome spoke as rapidly and as humbly as she could. Cautiously she released some of the pressure that held his beak shut. "…that my strength is currently so much greater than yours, that I am holding you against your will in this fashion, and that you are trapped in a form so different from your own. Please bear with this and I am sure we will solve it soon…"

The bird was breathing heavily, bubbles formed from moisture in its nostrils and it began trembling all over.

Kagome wasn't certain if it was fear or rage. If the bird were Sesshoumaru then she was sure it would be the latter. However the swan's thrashing had finally stopped and Kagome released her hold on the bird's beak entirely, allowing it to open its mouth and pant. Her hand hovered though, poised to grab again should the bird renew its attack. It gaped, hissing but did not strike again. With her free hand she carefully brushed back the feathers around the crossbow bolt.

"Again I apologise for this use of force against your person. Once I have tended your wing I will not lay hand on you again." The swan was shivering more noticeably now but no longer struggled against her. Kagome took a deep breath in and released the swan altogether, carefully lowering it to stand on the ground, then took the injured wing gently in both hands to further inspect the damage.

The crossbow bolt seemed strangely thin. There was no sense of reiki or youki – it was just an arrow. Designed to be shot from a crossbow and for killing game. Kagome gritted her teeth and took a hold of the side with the arrowhead.

"Brace yourself if you can my lord. I can only hope this works…" The swan pressed against her side, bracing its wing out for her. Kagome readied her grip then exerted as much force as she could, trying to hold the arrow shaft still in the wound.

CRICK…. The wood fractured, the arrow bent, splinters broke free. Sweat trickled of the tip of Kagome's nose and the swan hissed like a kettle, its eyes fixed on the sky.

CRACK! The wood splintered messily, the arrowhead breaking off but leaving jagged edges of sharp wood fibre.

"Ohhhh Kay…." Kagome breathed out slowly. "Next is to get it out…"

Carefully she picked at the fibres, smoothing them back as much as possible then, gently as she could began to turn and slide the shaft back through the torn flesh. The swan had other ideas. As soon as Kagome had begun to coax out the arrow shaft the bird's attention had snapped back to the task at hand and, with one sweep of its wing it tore the arrow free, leaving the gaping girl kneeling with a bloodied arrow in her hand.

"Gah!" Kagome flung herself on the swan, grabbing it's wing and plugging the hole on either side with her fingers before too much blood could flow. "That wasn't a clever thing to do! I had it in hand…"

The blood kept trickling from around her fingers and Kagome frowned in consternation. She had nothing on hand to bandage with and the idea of the wound becoming infected worried her. An idea struck her and Kagome concentrated on her reiki the way Sesshoumaru had so briefly shown her. Cautiously she focused on thumb and finger, closing her eyes to imagine the power weaving the flesh tight like a basket. A smile tugged at her mouth, a kagome* weave, one strand, a second, a third, then more folding over each other into an mesh of six-pointed stars, all glowing rose-gold in her minds-eye.

Her fingers began to tingle with the effort and her wrist ached.

The swan made a strange coughing noise and she started back to her surroundings. The sun was lower in the sky and her fingers were white from the pressure she was exerting. She was cold, the swan warm against her side.

A tremor passed through the swan and Kagome slowly released her fingers from the wound. Her hands were cramped and stiff from being held under tension for so long. Beneath her bloody fingers the wound had closed – though it was still pink and tender but for her blood on the feathers it could have been weeks old.

Her reiki still swirled around her in a nimbus of gold and pink, stronger and more controlled than it had ever been… but there was no answering pulse of youki from the swan…

The thought struck Kagome – perhaps this wasn't even Sesshoumaru. "Assumptions and Donkeys" She muttered under her breath.

"I think I may have made a fool of myself." She told the swan sheepishly, one arm still holding it close to her chest.

"I'm going to let go now and - if you've understood a word of what I have said – you won't peck my eyes out… deal?" Steeling herself Kagome released the swan and flung herself backwards.

The bird staggered slightly then drew itself up, its injured wing still hanging slack by its side. The swan stiffened then slowly, with great dignity, pulled the offending limb back into place and fixed Kagome with intelligent gold cat-like eyes.

"Oh Gods" Kagome muttered. "It is Sesshoumaru… and he's not going to forget this… not ever."

~o0o~

* 'kagome' is a lattice basket weave also found in japanese fabric patterns. I read somewhere that it has protective powers but can't find a reference to that. The word is actually made of two and describes the pattern (kago – basket, me-eyes (or holes))


	24. Southwards

**Disclaimer:** I claim that I have never seen these characters before in my life officer and they are in no way connected with me or my personal hoard of penguins (and I have a license for the penguins).

**Reviews? **Yes please: especially if you find typos, grammatical flubs or incontinuity. Thankyou to those who consistantly do review. I love wordy feedback and lengthy correspondence

~Chapter 24 –Southward ~

Kagome had given up her nervous fidgeting several hours ago. Now she sat under one of the willow trees, slowly nibbled at the sad remains of an apple core, watching the white shape that appeared and disappeared through the bulrushes on the far side of the watercourse, to all intents and purposes pointedly ignoring her.

They had walked some way over the course of the afternoon. The after-glow of energy that had remained after tending the taiyoukai-bird's wound had since faded into a weary lassitude but she dare not close her eyes lest she sleep.

Moments after Kagome had been roused from her healing trance Sesshoumaru had turned and, there was no other word she could use, he had waddled briskly, at least for a land bound swan, through the forest, straight as an arrow. Having no idea where they were Kagome had hastened to follow, frightened of being left behind. The Taiyoukai had abandoned her more than once before and she was becoming paranoid of it occurring again.

Eventually Sesshoumaru's short-legged but relentless march brought them to a small lake. There, standing on the shore, He had shaken himself like a dog, ruffling all of his feathers up and blinking with the same sort of disorientation Kagome had observed when she had found him standing on the beach. Then he inclined his head looking at the water first out of one eye then the other before stepping down into the water and swiftly paddling away, out into the lake centre. Leaving her alone of the shore.

~o0o~

Sesshoumaru glided along the surface of the small lake, grateful to have some measure of his old grace back, testing the boundaries of the form now inflicted upon him. He avoided going near the miko who had hovered near the waters edge, having shadowed him from the forest's heart. She had initially babbled apologies and regrets with every breath until he had rounded on her, growling through his beak and attempted to chase her off. She had fallen silent, but continued to follow him, almost fearfully, though he had sensed no threat as they travelled. Still she watched him and, if he moved around a corner or out of sight for more than a few moments he noticed the girl would rise and walk around the shore, sitting again somewhere where he remained in line of sight.

~o0o~

Kagome slowly polished off the core of the last of the late fall apples she had found, wishing there was more food. She had discovered a small loaf of bread, a lump of cheese and a cold sausage wrapped in paper in the pouch attached to her belt but had decided to save them as long as possible. She had no idea where to find edible food and wasn't willing to risk sampling the mushrooms she had seen growing abundantly about the forest.

Sitting staring at the fading dazzle of light on the water Kagome briefly contemplated throwing the fibrous remains of the apple core into water but thrift, and hunger, intervened and she nibbled on, eating it all but the pips. There was no way of knowing when or how she was going to find more food. Especially since she'd seen no sign of human habitation in their afternoon trek.

The sun was setting and Kagome crossed her fingers, standing and brushing down her clothing, she walked down to the shore and waited, watching, with a degree more intensity than she had in the last three hours. Sesshoumaru, drawn by curiosity, casually swam closer to see what it was she was watching for.

~o0o~

Night fell as moon began to rise. As the last hues of dusk faded from the sky and the moonlight became the dominant source of illumination the swan form in the shallows of the lake rippled, shivered and drew up upon itself. The feathers shimmered like scales then sparkled away, leaving Sesshoumaru standing calf deep in water, wearing a fine white tunic and leggings which promptly wicked water up to his knees. His hair was still short and ragged, most of it less than shoulder length, and it wisped out softly in uneven tufts, almost like swan down itself.

He waded to shore, kicking off the soft leather slippers that were full of silt.

Kagome knelt on the shore facing him, her head bowed low and hands lightly resting on the ground in front of her.

"Sesshoumaru-sama I apolo-"

"Enough Miko." Sesshoumaru's tone still held some of the throaty hiss of a swan's voice. "Get up. No more of this. You know of this tale. Tell it."

Kagome, startled by his voice, so long silent, remained prostrate a moment too long and Sesshoumaru nudged her with his bare, wet foot, almost pushing her over. "Get up and speak to my face. I will not have you give my answer to the dirt."

Kagome looked up startled and almost apologised again. The semi-camaraderie she had developed with the taiyoukai whilst in the castle, carefully forged over many cups of tea was gone. His eyes were hard and his expression stony.

_You did shoot him with a crossbow before you healed him, or so he might believe. _Her memory offered. _You shouldn't be that surprised that he doesn't think well of you right now_. Kagome drew a breath and focused on answering his question to the best of her ability. If she had to re-win his trust then so be it. She just hoped it would be easier the second time around.

"Sesshoumaru-sama : the story comes from a ballet… A story danced on stage." She sat back on her heels, and held his gaze as best she could, no longer trying to alter the telling of the tale to salve his dignity– she would give him full honesty from now on. "In the tale I know there are many swans, one is a princess, the others her ladies in waiting. They were put under a spell by a evil sorceror. Um…"

Sesshoumaru inclined his head, indicating he was listening, that she should continue, though a slight frown creased his brows at being in a female role again.

"Unfortunately, until the spell is broken, the princesses turn back into swans at dawn each day. I remember that bit from the dancing." A slight smile crossed the girls face at the memory and the taiyoukai noticed that there was still blood spattered there in places.

Sesshoumaru's face and stance had relaxed almost imperceptably during the recitation of the tale and it prompted Kagome to add "On the up side: at least you're no longer stuck in a dress."

Sesshoumaru's face became stony again at the potentially mocking remark. He tossed the fine silk scarf that had draped across his shoulders into her lap. "Wash your face, then tell me all of this tale."

Kagome dipped the end of the sash in the water and mopped at her face, surprised at seeing the rusty red blood on the cloth. As she continued talking she focused on thoroughly rinsing the fabric with each lathing to prevent any chance of staining.

"I don't know much more than that I am afraid Sesshoumaru-sama. I saw it as a very young child. The princess and her attendants were all turned into swans by an evil sorceror. They turned back to humans at night. A prince nearly kills the princess but they fall in love and he goes and… " Kagome's brow furrowed at the gap in her knowledge. "He goes and defeats the sorceror. And there is a lot of dancing… and sequined dresses."

"'Sequined'?" Despite his intention to remain aloof from the girl Sesshoumaru rolled his tongue over the unfamiliar word, curious.

Kagome's lip quirked sheepishly. "Sequins are little flat metal disks stitched onto clothing, so they glitter." She gestured largely at the sky with a hand. "Like the stars, or hot coals, or sunlight on water. They use them for costumes for theatre."

"Hn." Sesshoumaru glanced at the sky and shivered. Kagome blinked, startled. It certainly wasn't cold. The taiyoukai shivered all over again and seemed a little bewildered himself.

"I… South… There is a need to go South…" Sesshoumaru's voice was uncharacteristically young and bewildered. He took an unconcious half step in that direction. Kagome looked up worried, studying his face. There was something vague and unfocused about his eyes and the slight breeze ruffled his ragged hair up like feathers, making him all the more unworldly. A third shiver and the taiyoukai snapped back to himself, fixing Kagome with a sharp glare. She averted her gaze.

"This Sesshoumaru goes South. Now." Sesshoumaru turned on his heel and strode in that direction, leaving Kagome to follow or be left behind. She scrambled after him, snatching up her shoes and pulling them on with haste, surprised that the taiyoukai had chosen to inform her of his intention in any fashion.

Kagome managed to keep up with the taiyoukai until the moon fell below the tree line. While there was moonlight she could easily make out the pale form of the taiyoukai and the lay of the ground before her. He moved in a straight line, Brush and brambles irritably sliced asunder by his claws, making it easy to follow in his wake. But when the moon sank there was nothing but darkness. After tripping over twice and stumbling into a briar patch a bruised and scratched Kagome found herself alone in the dark.

She turned, listening. Insects chirped, night birds called, in the distance the occasional sound of splintering wood reverberated, gradually growing fainter as Sesshoumaru moved further away. Kagome drew in a deep breath.

"See…Sesshoumaru-sama?" There was silence. The night creatures listened with her. She tried again, louder. "Sesshoumaru-sama? Please don't leave me behind! I... I can't see."

Silence. Then insects, frogs, birds resumed their night noises, the wind stirred the leaves softly. Nothing more.

Kagome sank into a crouch then and there, hunched over she contemplated bursting into tears but fell asleep before she got a chance. She woke, stiff and cold on the ground to the sound of bird calls in the predawn light. As she rolled over, brushing the leaf litter from her hair she saw she was no longer alone. Sitting, waiting under a tree, eyes closed and his brow slightly creased in irritation, was Sesshoumaru.

"Thank y-"

"Enough. Get up." Sesshoumaru rose gracefully and Kagome staggered to her feet, as he turned to leave. Midstride the light changed, the air brightened and Kagome's prediction about Sesshoumaru's swan state was confirmed.  
Brief and lustrous, the taiyoukai glowed and dwindled, in the space of a breath. Motes of light flickered and dispersed as fabric became feathers. The water bird rose up, shook himself and hissed angrily. Again that shiver and with slightly glazed eyes the taiyoukai-swan stumbled on large webbed feet Southwards. Kagome hastened to follow.

~o0o~

The middle of the day found Sesshoumaru's broad webbed feet, supremely suitable for swimming, worn to blisters and bleeding by walking across unforgiving ground, through dense vegetation and across rocky outcrops. He would not slow or avoid obstacles but threw himself at them with a pent up rage. Kagome's feet fared only a little better. Though the taiyoukai did not seem able to speak in bird form he certainly understood. Her one foolish suggestion: that they travel at a slower speed to suit his leg length had been reprimanded with Sesshoumaru hissing at her and lunging forward to harry her on at a faster pace. The real punishment for Kagome there was in watching the white bird struggle on ahead of her, pushing himself harder than she could bear to watch. When possible she would walk behind the taiyoukai, hoping he would relinquish the pace, for his own sake more than her own.

Sesshoumaru finally allowed them to stop when they came across a stream fed pond. Both girl and bird drank thirstily and lathed their feet in the water. When the swan began to turn South wards again Kagome drew breath a deep breath and spoke.

"Sesshoumaru-sama if you would please listen a moment." The swan bent it's neck and fixed her with one sharp amber eye, waiting. "I'm not certain how strong your inclination to go South..." Kagome winced internally, "… if you would allow me to continue to follow you. I think it best if we… if I might rest a bit during the day and we travel when you are…" She bit her lip but ploughed on, "in a form better suited to it. I… I can't see well at night but I will do my best..."

The swan regarded her for a moment, narrowed its eyes, then shook his feathers and turned his back on her, stepping back into the stream and paddling out into the water again, his action indicating they would not leave until moonrise. Kagome let out a sigh of relief and bowed gratefully on the bank.. Keeping an eye on the taiyoukai incase he should change his mind she turned her attention to lunch, such as it was. She had polished off the last crumbs of cheese the day before, hadn't had a chance to break fast yet, and and trembled with hunger.

With a sigh she took the dry loaf from her belt pouch and broke off a chunk and, after dampening it in the stream, and, repressing a shudder, ate the soggy bread. Nasty as it was, along with another drink of water, the bread filled her stomach. Kagome tried offering some of the crumbs to Sesshoumaru but he looked disdainfully at them and went back to foraging through the shallows, sending minnows skimming through the water away from his stabbing beak.

She dozed off while watching him tearing into some sort of waterweed. Her tired mind bemused to see the taiyoukai eat anything at all. He did seem to relish it and she wondered, as her eyes drifted closed, what chance there was it was edible.

~o0o~

Kagome was woken by a foot poking her again. Sesshoumaru stood over her, the sun had set and the moon risen. She saw with relief his feet were healed, in fact he seemed to glow with more energy than before. She bobbed her head in greeting and hastened to follow as he set off through the twilight without glancing back.

Kagome was stumbling by the time they stopped. Sesshoumaru had finally relented when the moon set and had deigned to guide her, he holding one end of the silk sash and she the other. They made camp just before dawn, fortune placing them by another waterway. As Kagome sank to the ground she chirped up, remembering another tale.

"I remembered, I do know another story about swans Sesshoumaru-sama. Which may account for us travelling south. The story had seven, seven brothers cursed by a stepmother. They flew south to escape winter with their sister, who had to sew seven shirts out of nettles. She wasn't allowed to speak until they were finished or they would never change back. I don't think we're in that tale though…"

Sesshoumaru huffed through his nose and turned away to survey the changing colours of the Eastern sky. "You would doomed all to a feathered eternity."

Kagome grinned grateful of the slight thaw in his manners. "I admit I'm not good at keeping quiet. I would like to think I can when it's important."

Sesshoumaru turned back and looked down his long nose at her, a ghost of humour in his tone. "Try."

Kagome grinned at the challenge in the half light and snuggled down into a pile of dried leaves at the base of a tree. "Fine. Good night" There was a swan's hiss of irritation behind her and Kagome smiled to herself in inciting the challenge she had won a small victory.

~o0o~


	25. A Still tongue gathers no moss

**Disclaimer: **No koi carp were harmed in the writing of this fanfiction. Well except one. And it had it coming anyway.

**Authorial Note: **More to come. I'll be in Adelaide soon and I tend to write a lot while visiting my grandparents. Hopefully there will be a few weekly updates over xmas.

**Reviews? **Yes please: especially if you find typos, grammatical flubs or incontinuity. Thankyou to those who consistantly do review. I love wordy feedback and lengthy correspondence

~Chapter 25 - A still tongue gathers no moss~

The next night when Sesshoumaru shook off his swan form Kagome didn't speak. Not a word, not a whistle. That evening when Sesshoumaru stepped out of the waters and she nodded a polite greeting but said nothing, continuing to focus on the fire she was trying to light. He stood and watched her until the sky began to darken and she gave up, choosing to eat the bamboo shoots she had found raw as she followed him further South.

The Taiyoukai almost lost track of her in the forest several times – she did not call out when he drew ahead, or ask for him to stop. She just doggedly kept following south until it became too dark to see and he returned to lead her. In silence.

The following day, before when they stopped for dawn, Sesshoumaru looked at her and twitched an eyebrow Kagome arched an eyebrow back with twinkling determination, even as she nibbled on the last portion of sausage she had left. There were times when she was sure he was about to ask her something but he didn't say a word. And so neither did she

Two days later, having not found anything to eat in that time more substantial than bamboo shoots, Kagome relented, knowing that she couldn't outwait the taiyoukai if he had decided to take the challenge seriously. She cleared her throat and knelt, bowing.

"Sesshoumaru-sama…" He half turned towards her, one of his eyebrows twitched. There might have been the upward tightening at the corner of his mouth, Kagome didn't care. She felt almost dizzy with hunger now and 'the game' wasn't funny anymore, hadn't been for the last day and a half but stubbornness had made her hold out. She suppressed the irritation she felt, knowing it was really directed at herself for instigating the challenge in the first place. "Please Sesshoumaru: I need to find food. I can't live on bamboo shoots and I don't recognise anything edible here. Will you help me?"

Sesshoumaru blinked and reassessed the girl. She was not wasting words and that alone gave him pause for thought, might have almost worried him, had he chosen to care. Instead he focused on her noting the hollowness to Kagome's cheeks, the slight sharpness about her frame was not simply caused by the night shadows and the mounting fatigue that sleeping during the day had not cured. She had been modestly wiry when the goddess had whisked them together but now the girl looked gaunt.

Kagome blinked and found she had been half napping, even as the Taiyoukai had been observing her. It had been his sudden movement that jarred her back to wakefullness.

The Taiyoukai had been standing before her one second and then at the waters edge in the next. Crouching he flicked a hand into the stream, removing a sizable fish with barely a splash. Another deft snapping motion of his hand and the frantic threshing of the fish was stilled. Turning back to the human girl he held it out, letting it fall into her lap.

Kagome just managed to catch the offering without dropping it. "Th.. thankyou?"

"Hnn." Sesshoumaru turned away, turning South, as if to study the horizon beyond the forest. "Eat swiftly. I will wait until you have finished, then we depart."

Kagome bowed again awkwardly cradling the dead fish in her arms. There was no way she would get a fire made in short time and she wasn't going to give Sesshoumaru reason to regret the concession of time he had just granted her.

_Sashimi, just like sashimi, just with less rice… Rice._ Her stomach growled and with clumsy fingers Kagome did her best to quickly scale, gut and portion the fish. Grateful of her sharp hunting knife but dearly wishing for a cutting board and a proper filleting knife.

The raw fish was mana. Kagome was too hungry to be squeamish and, fresh from the water as it was, she had no fear of food poisoning or bacteria. After a day and a half of sparse vegetables the solid meal in her stomach was as a half day's rest and she bounced up with most of her old energy to clean her knife and hands.

"Um. Thankyou, again." Kagome rubbed her hands and, getting no reply, began heading roughly south without another word.

Sesshoumaru blinked in mild surprise then followed, swiftly over taking her, his path resetting them in the correct direction. Kagome was able to catch a glimpse of his expression as he passed, there had been bemusement but, she hoped she had seen right, perhaps a hint of satisfication too.

~o0o~

During the day Sesshoumaru found himself taking note of those water plants that he had seen Rin eat. Once or twice he had contemplating fetching some for the girl sitting on the river bank but disregarded the thought. He was not going take on the task of foraging for her. Rin was a third her age and was more than competent at the task. Higurashi Kagome would learn to be the same. He glanced over at the shore. She had found more bamboo shoots proving him right. Snorting he turned and paddled further along the rushes. Only to find a fine fat, fish swimming, enticingly beneath his feet, careless of his presence.

Sesshoumaru had found days ago that his swan form had no hunger for flesh. It irked him, not that he felt any real hunger for tangible foods when there was so much natural ki flowing around. Water plants and tubers were all he found himself inclined to eat when he wore feathers but the memory of the fish flesh he had tasted beneath the ocean and the sudden chance to attack something spurred him after the carp* and he dove for it with gaping beak.

The water threshed and Kagome jolted upright, spilling the shoots she had been peeling. Sesshoumaru was struggling with something almost as large himself, causing the waters to froth and churn.

Even as she watched Sesshoumaru was heading for the shore, backwards, towing some great threshing grey object with him. As he got closer she realised it was a fish and Sesshoumaru was fixated on getting it back to the shore.

The swan inuyoukai scrabbled through the shallows, dragging the fish behind him, gripping it by a flapping fin with his serrated beak. His eye rolled toward Kagome and he hissed around his mouthful. Interpreting his command she splashed into the water and grabbed at it clumsily. They managed to haul it up onto the bank before Kagome's feet slipped on the grass as she lost her grip and sat down abruptly. The fish began to flap back toward the water but Sesshoumaru made a sharp yapping noise then plunged his beak through the fish's eye socket. The creature flipped once more then was still.

Kagome sat panting, looking at the carp. Light glistened along it's fat sides, reflecting of the edges of the mud coloured scales. "This is an amazing fish Sesshoumaru-sama. Um. What did you want it for?"

Sesshoumaru looked at the fish corpse a moment as if weighing up what to do with it. Now that it was dead he seemed to have entirely lost interest. His ruffle and reshuffle of feathers seemed to indicate he felt it was her problem now. This was further indicated when he turned his back on the both of them and headed back towards the river to see if he could find something else to kill.

Kagome stared at the fish. She had a whole afternoon to cook it if she could get a fire going. "I don't suppose swans are good at making fire…"

Sesshoumaru evidently heard her, he snorted water from his beak and glowered his shoulder at her at her as he stepped back to the water.

Kagome sat looking at the fish. A fly buzzed past, turned in the air and began to land on the carcass. Kagome shooed it away possessively and, after poking the fish to ensure it was really dead, submerged it in the shallows while she went to find dry kindling.

Having had no success whatsoever with making a fire by mudane means Kagome found herself remembering the way she had concentrated her reiki to mend Sesshoumaru's aura. Perhaps she could use her own ki to start a fire, or at least heat the wood enough to help her get a blaze going. Cooked fish. Her mouth watered at the thought.

Kagome crouched near her pile of wood and concentrated. Her reiki tingled, sputtered, faded, then gradually pooled in her finger tips as she worked through the memories of how Sesshoumaru had helped her focus her reiki before. Her fingertip began to feel hot as they had back then. She closed her eyes and envisioned them glowing, imagined them beginning to scorch the wood, like a coal. A stray thought distracted her as she also remembered Sesshoumaru's long cool fingers around her wrist. Flushed Kagome fueled her embarrassment into her fingertips, the glow of her cheeks and ears sizzling through her fingers. The wood erupted into flame and she let out a whoop of triumph.

~o0o~

* 錦鯉 (にしきごい] nishikigoi _Cyprinus carpio _Or the common carp. The ornamental versions can be seen in Koi ponds all over the shop. These can be an incredibly invasive species outside of their native lands and are a real problem here in Australia where they stir up the mud, breed like rabbits and destroy waterway ecosystems. The suckers also get huge. Some are seriously big fish – they can weigh over 40kg. Swans are vegetarian so a carp wouldn't be expecting to tussle with one.

Apologies for the slowness of update. I'm still fleshing out the rest of this arc. It doesn't help that I'm also frantically trying to get a 13page full colour comic done at the same time.


	26. Cygnets and Complications

**Disclaimer: **As before, is current and so in future.

**Reviews? **Yes please: especially if you find typos, grammatical flubs or incontinuity. Thankyou to those who consistantly do review. I love wordy feedback and lengthy correspondence

_~Chapter 26 – Cygnets and complications ~_

The addition of fish to Kagome's diet marked an improvement in her endurance and in Sesshoumaru's temper. The opportunity to kill things, even so paltry an opponent as a fish gave him an outlet to vent frustration and Kagome had more fish than she could eat.

A routine began to from, beginning with a hard march south from dusk to dawn and finishing with setting camp by a watercourse, if one was found. Usually followed by fish terminations and Kagome's improving skill at fire lighting. Conversation, of a sort, had become almost common.

"I wonder what has happened to Tenseiga…" Kagome pondered aloud as she tugged at the lacings of her boots. The night was near done and though there was no sign of a waterway Sesshoumaru had indicated they would pause for the day by gracefully dropping to sit at the base of a tree.

"The last few tales it's arrived in the story with one or another of us…" She flexed her hand, remembering the eager buzz of youki from the sword, the way it had vibrated through the bones of her fingers. A shiver danced across her spine at the memory. Sesshoumaru watched the fading stars in silence. She had almost forgotten she had asked the question out loud when he answered.

"My father's sword will find it's way back as it has several times before. I cannot be rid of the useless thing."

Kagome bit her tongue on a comment then decided to voice it anyway.

"I don't think O-Tensaiga is useless. It helped me greatly when I was bargaining with the Kyoujin."

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow but did not question further for which Kagome was unspeakably grateful. They watched the cold dawn break in silence, a tentative truce having been reestablished.

~o0o~

A cold wind laced with chips of sleet, fierce as wolf teeth, hammered on the far side of the hollow tree Kagome and the swan-formed Sesshoumaru had taken cover in. Heavy dark clouds had rolled in shortly after mid morning and had sent Kagome scurrying for cover. Sesshoumaru had followed her when the hail started. The swan-taiyoukai did not appear to feel the cold but Kagome was freezing. She pulled the threadbare cloak in closer to herself and willed her teeth to stop chattering, trying not to think of extra socks, self-warming cans of coffee and kotatsu*.

A particularly violent sneeze rocked her frame and she cursed as she wiped her nose on her sleeve, trying to curl herself further into the back of the hollow.

Sesshoumaru, dozing near the entrance, roused and blinked sleepily. Kagome sneezed again eruptively and sniffed, muttering an apology. The swan stretched, shook his feathers then delicately stepped up on to her knee. Kagome had a brief, terrified remembrance of the tale of 'Leda and the Swan' and hastily tried to stand, bumping her head on the wall of the tree, sitting down again abruptly. Sesshoumaru wobbled and nearly fell then hissed at her and stomped his feet on her thigh through the cloak as if he were perching on a particularly irritating log. He didn't seem to register her brief panic and imperiously tight-rope walked up her leg until he was almost resting against her torso. The swan-youkai fluffed feathers and tucked his long neck into the plumage of his back and sank into a crouch perched on her leg. The warmth of his feathers gradually soaking through her clothing and Kagome dared to snuggle a little closer.

"I hope you don't have mites"

The swan huffed irritably but did not rouse. He seemed more personable as a bird. A lot more personable even when not a swan these last few days. He was also now blocking most of the draft from the entrance and Kagome found her self gradually warm enough to drift off to sleep.

~o0o~

Kagome woke in darkness. Outside she could hear the sleet still lashing down. It had to be late in the night and yet Sesshoumaru had not woken her to move on. A momentary panic seized her - Had he left her behind? Then there was a faint stirring of fabric and Kagome held her breath, listening. As she lay still she realised there was a warm presence at her back, a solid lump of heat that she had firmly wedged her shoulder against in her sleep. She didn't dare look, wouldn't have be able to see anything in the dark, but a warm glow bubbled up in her chest. Sesshoumaru was letting her wait out the weather.

~o0o~

The blizzard passed during the next day, leaving Kagome well rested and Sesshoumaru eager to be away. Everything was crusted in white frost and ice. The few small water-courses they passed appeared frozen solid in the moonlight. Then they came upon The Lake.

Beyond it, situated close to the bank, with lights reflecting in the waters, was a castle with surrounding township. Between there and where Kagome and Sesshoumaru stood there was forest, marsh and rising mist.

A soft rippling of the waters surface caught Kagome's eye and she looked for the source, drawing a startled breath when she found it. Suddenly there, bathed in moonlight, were eleven very young girls standing in the shallows. Eleven children, none older than Rinn, each clad in a thin gown of white silk and feathers. As Sesshoumaru turned to look upon them they all curtseyed low, remaining there, knee deep in ice water.

"Quick! Come out!" Kagome yelped to them, reaching for the nearest, as she herself waded out into the chill pond, "Come out of the water, you'll catch your deaths standing there."

The children looked to Sesshoumaru, at his slight inclination of head they curtsied again and obeyed.

There was something almost eerie in the silence but his companion didn't seem to notice. Kagome was almost frantic, chaffing hands, feeling foreheads and scooping up every piece of nearby wood in reach to make a fire. Sesshoumaru stood aloof watching. The children seemed to have taken no harm from the water.

He scented the air. They did not seem to be youkai. Their scent was human enough, considering the amount of feathers surrounding them all… but their composure was unnatural.

Then one child stirred as though waking up, shivered, a second followed, a third let out a soft birdlike keening sound and they all drew closer, clustered together around his feet like ducklings.

"Enough. Silence!" Sesshoumaru barked and they obediently went quiet. Still but for a shiver that now ran through all eleven of the swan maidens.

There was a sharp "Fwump" and a small burst of flame behind him, reflecting off the trees, indicating Kagome had gotten the fire lit. The pulse of reiki that accompanied the blaze set Sesshoumaru's teeth on edge. She was not happy with the situation.

Like a mother hen she shepherded the young girls away from Sesshoumaru, chivvying them over to the fire, firing off questions about names and parents. The children mutely shook their heads but allowed them selves to be fussed over in silence. Sesshoumaru frowned into the darkness, looking towards the lights and their reflections in the distance.

~o0o~

Kagome sat staring at the fire for some time trying to figure out what the presence of the children meant to their own situation. They had setup camp in a sheltered lee of the lake shore – in the distance on the far side of the water the twinkle of lanterns indicated the presence of a town of some size.

When the sun glimmered on the horizon Kagome woke surrounded by fuzzy grey cygnets. Taking a fortifying breath she decided on her course for the day and turned to the irritable white swan who, in humanoid form, had stood guard through the night. She extricated herself from the young swans and brushed off her knees feeling guilty for what she was about to do.

"I am going to walk down to the town now."

Sesshoumaru straightened and glowered the miko, feathers hackled. Kagome took a deep breath and put her hands on her hips, ready with her argument. "There's no use waiting until tonight – there isn't likely to be anyone around to question. You won't want them following us and I won't leave eleven young girls alone in the forest at night. During the day I can go down and find out what I can quick enough. You can't as a swan." Sesshoumaru hissed and snaked his head at her, his hackles not quite so bristled.

Kagome ticked off points on her fingers. "Look you **have** to stay with them Sesshoumaru-sama. I'm no use if anything happens here – at least as you are now you can lead them off into deeper water. They are a part of the ballet story, they might be important for us too. I don't have your abilities but I can do this at least. I should be able to find out what we need to know and get back before sunset."

Sesshoumaru snorted irritably and turned his head away but his feathers had relaxed back into place.

Kagome, taking it as leave to do as she would, bowed deeply.

"I promise I'll be back as soon as I can!" She turned on her heel and, swinging her threadbare cloak over her shoulders, headed off for the town at a trot.

~o0o~

* Kotatsu (こたつ) A low table with a quilt over it and a heater under it used in winter. Very warm but, according to a friend of mine who is an engineer and pulled one apart once: the wiring is often really dodgy and they are a major cause of house fires.


	27. Where the Wild Lilies Grow…

**Disclaimer: **I claim the mink and the men who bag him, plus eleven slightly characterless cygnets. All other character remain the possession of R Takahashi, Vis and Shonen Jump. May I someday make as much money of my own characters as they have off theirs.

**Authorial note: **This chapter's completion was fuelled by a nectarine and passionfruit yoghurt smoothie. I sat, sipped and storied. I've finally nutted out this part and a little more.

~Chapter 27 Where the Wild Lilies Grow…~

It took Kagome less time to reach the city than she had expected. Despite having to pass through marsh and boggy ground Kagome found she now automatically found the game trails and pathways along solid ground. Not once did she fall into the water, or slip into the mire, though she did have a few close calls.

Despite her expectations the only thing spattered with mud remained her boots and the cuffs of her breeches. She reached the town gates as pristine as one could be having camped out rough for as long as she had.

As she neared the town gates, now one of many people, on foot, horseback and driving carts of raw goods, she found she could smell cooking rice over the dust and other smells. Her stomach growling she quickened her pace, expecting to have to justify her passage to the two guards who flanked the entrance way.

They barely gave her a glance, waving her through when she hesitated before the open heavy timber gates. Having been half expecting to be recognized as someone of importance on reaching the town Kagome didn't know whether to be relieved or disappointed. Shaking her head at her vanity Kagome was about to head straight for the castle when the beguiling aroma of freshly cooked rice drifted past her again.

Casting a glance at the towering walls of the castle Kagome rationalized: _There is no certainty who ever is up there will even see me immediately. It is first thing in the morning the nobles might not be up yet…_

Another breeze drifted past her carrying the smell of miso and red meat grilling with spice and making her stomach make up her mind for her.

Kagome rattled the coins in her pouch, certain that she had more than enough for both a meal for herself and more rice to take back for the cygnets. Money had been useless in the wild but here she could use it for all of them.

Breakfast, without fish, first. Then she would go to the castle. She might even learn something important in whichever eatery she decided on.

~o0o~

Sesshoumaru coasted lazily across the water surface, keeping one eye on the cygnets as they foraging in the shallows and the other on the shore for potential predators.

There had been an incident earlier in the day, some time after Higurashi Kagome had left, which had left him more than wary of what might be hidden in the dense reeds and marsh flowers.

The young swans had just been stepping into the water when one of the smaller cygnets, had been ambushed by a mink. Sesshoumaru had seen the movement in the shadows well before the child but had but had not recognize it as threat until the beast sprang. The small, savage carnivore bounded out of the undergrowth, latching sharp teeth into the swan-child's neck, attempting to drag her back into the bushes. Sesshoumaru had been startled by the insolence of the animal but at the frightened moan of the cygnet he found himself moving forward, a trumpet of fury resonating from his throat as defended his new wards.

Despite his ungainly form, thoroughly unsuited to fighting, Sesshoumaru launched himself at the weasel, bowling the other cygnets out of the way as, with precision, he slammed his beak into the animal's side, trying to make it lose it's grip on the cygnet without further tearing her flesh. The mink squealed as the breath was knocked from its lungs and released the cygnet. Turning as it fell the mustelid landed in a crouch, unwilling to give up its meal. Sesshoumaru stepped over the prone child, placing himself between her and the mink, He did not mantle his feathers, hiss or glower at the carnivore. He did not threaten or attempt to warn it off - Sesshoumaru moved forward to kill and the mink, recognising this fled into the undergrowth, faster than any swan could pursue.

Sesshoumaru sighed through his nostrils, setting the memory aside, and tucked his wings higher, holding the injured cygnet in place on his back. She slept soundly after her fright. As far as he could tell the child was not greatly injured. He was certain Higurashi Kagome would be able to heal whatever wound the cygnet has sustained- as the miko had done so for his own wounds. Sesshoumaru dipped his beak and dabbled at the water surface in thought.

He had surprised himself by attending to the injured cygnet at all. They were important to the story Higurashi Kagome had said, but that did not explain why he had found himself scooping the child onto his back with a wing and chivvying all the others out into the safety of the water again. Perhaps such responsibility was an inherent part of the swan form he currently wore… He had never been so solicitous with Rinn. A small stir behind his breastbone caused him to blink in surprise at the thought bubbled up from that shivery sensation. P_erhaps I should have… perhaps in future..._

Sesshoumaru jerked his head up, shaking it thoroughly to clear away the unfamiliar sensation and alien thoughts. He did not, however, shake the sleeping cygnet from his back.

~o0o~

Sesshoumaru ruffled his sun-warmed feathers and turned an amber eye towards the sun, marking its progress across the sky towards the horizon. Higurashi Kagome should have returned by now. The cygnets were all resting on an islet away from the shore whilst Sesshoumaru patrolled the shallows, watching for some sign of the girl's return.

He had thought about leading the cygnets closer to the town but dismissed the idea. Higurashi Kagome would look for them here first and he had established their safety here in this part of the lake. Not for the first time he regretted the loss of his canine nose whilst in this form.

There was a stirring in the deep reeds and Sesshoumaru straightened, craning his neck, expecting to catch sight of the familiar colours of Kagome's travel stained red jacket. Instead he saw three men in green mottle, then a fourth and a fifth, searching the reed beds intently and very quietly for humans. They carried bows and game bags. Hunters. Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed as he watched their movements and he remembered the sting of the arrow in his wing. They had not seen him yet – would not if he had any say in the matter.

He ducked back down, sculling in closer to the shadows of the overhanging vegetation, careful not to cause sound. He knew he was a vibrant white against the water, stealth would stand him in best stead until he found out what these humans were searching for.

For some time there was no sound but their searching then, softly.

"Nothing. Not a feather."

"There's a dead mink here. Fresh."

"Bag it then. "

There was a rustling of burlap and fur. Sesshoumaru glided in closer, it seemed his strike to the animal had been mortal after all. He did not bother dwelling on satisfaction: The humans were gathering again, slowly but with less stealth now. Their movements had not flushed any game and they seemed to assume they were alone.

"Swans'd be out in the open if they were anywhere. At night they might be on one of them grass islands just out there on shore..."

"Think it's a bit of a wild goose chase."

"She said they'd be by the shore, somewhere near a patch of white water bloom. Twelve fine fat swans for the table she said."

Sesshoumaru's eyes hardened as he glanced at the clusters of icy white water lilies near him. He remembered how Kagome had twirling one between her fingers.

His first, brief, thought was that Higurashi Kagome had sent the men but instinct and the memory of her tending the children did not accept this easy betrayal.

"It's the wrong time of year for swans." One of the hunters said irritably.

"Well She said she saw them as she passed the lake. Wants them for t'night."

There was a honking noise above them and six sets of eyes, five human, one not, scoured the sky. A flock of swans glided across the sky, grey as storm clouds, drifted down towards the lake.

"Well I'll be damned! Swan - And in this season too. We're not going to get them on the water. Come nightfall they'll go to ground. We'll bag them then."

"Good thing swan cooks faster than beef." One of the hunters jested

Sesshoumaru's jaw tightened and his eyes flickered up to the sky. The light was dimming but twilight could not come soon enough.


	28. A Valet by any other name

**Disclaimer: **I don't claim to be a hero, I don't claim another way home... I do claim that if Tina Turner ever gets me she's probably going to beat me up. But she's got to catch me first. Thunderdome style.

**Authorial note: **Edited a third time because I did the two chapters on either side so this got a bit of a buff too

_~Chapter 28 A Valet by any other name~_

Kagome put her rice bowl down for the final time with a sigh of pleasure and smiled her thanks to the serving girl on the far side of the room who was collecting dishes. Beside her, wrapped in bamboo leaves and packed into a simple woven box were twenty-two large rice balls. Next to the box was a jar of pickled vegetables. It had been a productive morning and Kagome looked forward to returning to the far side of the lake and what she had learned with Sesshoumaru.

Most of the gossip that flowed around her was inconsequential – local scandals and match making, opinions on the weather and the price of foodstuffs in the markets. Amidst the humdrum though Kagome was informed that there was to be a ball at the castle that night to celebrate The Prince's coming of age and pending coronation. That the black banners and panels of paper she had noticed on many doors about the area were due to the King having recently passed on and that The Prince was expected to announce his bride to be at the event. A little careful steering of conversations had also informed Kagome that yes: The Prince did enjoy hunting and yes: there was rumour of a wicked magician in the area who was thought to spirit away young women who ventured out at night.

Thoroughly satisfied Kagome lingered over her fourth cup of green tea and began plotting how they could get Sesshoumaru into the castle, whether they would need to find a dress to fit him and what to do with the cygnets in the mean time. Her thoughts were interrupted.

"Sir, You are expected at the castle."

Kagome blinked and turned up to look at the uniformed man who now stood rigidly beside her, she then glanced around the room incase he was addressing someone else.

"The Prince wishes the presence of his Valet. Immediately."

"Um… Me?" Kagome rose uncertainly, gathering her packages. "Are you sure?"

"With haste please Sir. You were expected to return last night."

Casting a last glance in the direction of the town gates and the lake Kagome followed the guard, hoping that she wasn't heading into hot water and that her morning's luck would last.

~o0o~

The prince lay propped up in bed, dreamily looking out the window, a breakfast tray lay before him on the coverlet, contents half eaten. He did not appear to have undressed the night before and his jacket was rumpled.

As Kagome sidled into the room and the door closed behind her the prince sat up eagerly, gesturing her closer.

"At last! Valet! Where have you been? You know I dreamt of her again last night…"

Kagome made a non-committal noise hoping the prince would elaborate since she was evidently meant to know what he was talking about. To cover her uncertainty she poured water from the ewer beside his bed into the basin while trying to remember exactly what it was valets did apart from parking cars and hoping it wasn't anything _too_ personal.

"It was as though I were there again, riding in the forest with her. I cannot remember what she said in the dream. Something sad and sweet. She was like a white lily against the dark forest, watching me leave again."

Kagome slightly shook her head to dispel the memory of Sesshoumaru in the wilderness – pearlescent against the conifers deep green foliage. The prince might be talking about the Taiyoukai but she didn't think so. There'd been no chance for them to meet… had there?

Kagome lost patience with the prince's waffling remeniscences.

"Sorry. Who are we talking about?"

The Prince blinked. "Why my Sweetheart. Who else would I dream of. Were you drinking the night through Valet? You certainly seem slow on the uptake today."

He slid his feet from the bed and splashed his face from the basin, combing back his tousled dark hair with his fingers. He looked pointedly at the wardrobe and Kagome realised she was expected to fetch him a fresh change of clothing.

Hastily she opened the doors and picking out a selection of clothing. Remembering that the king was recently dead she chose the more austere garments. When she turned around she blushed and hastily averted her eyes. The prince didn't seem to notice. He had stripped down to his undershirt, leaving the shed clothing piled on the floor, and stood expectantly, waiting to be dressed.

The prince's complete blasé manner and self-absorption removed all intimacy from the scene and Kagome found she could easily imagine him as a doll to be dressed. Probably an anatomically correct doll, but she didn't intending to go looking. The prince continued talking about his dream as Kagome held out a pair of pants for him to step into.

"…Then my dream changed she was one of twelve hunters. We rode out in the forest after bears… or boars… or perhaps it was a stag… Then a giant black hawk swept in and she was gone… Everything was gone except my father's crown."

"Sounds like a scary dream." Kagome allowed, buttoning the prince's shirt. He was a little pudgy she noted absently, catching herself comparing him to the trim elegance of Sesshoumaru. She glanced at her own wiry hands. She had been that soft once, not that long ago if she thought about it.

Kagome held up the jacket so the prince could shrug into it.

"Perhaps the dream is indicating you miss her and should go see her." She suggested.

The prince shook his head

"My Sweetheart…"

Kagome cocked her head interrupting "You know you've not mentioned her name once. What is she called?"

"Name?" The prince looked puzzled. "Why would she have a name? She was my Sweetheart"

"Don't you have a name?"

"Of course not. I have a role, I do not have a name."

"Role? Wait a minute what do you mean 'was'? What happened to her?"

The prince shrugged. "I left her. To forfill my father's last wish."

"You can't just be called 'The prince' surely you were given a name when you were born."

The Prince laughed, perhaps a little bemused. "You have been drinking haven't you. I am the Prince, just as you are The Prince's Valet, Valet. We each have our role – it tell us who we are. What need do we have for names here? I am The Prince now but I will be The King soon."

"I'm not just a valet! I have a name and it's Kago-"

The prince slapped a hand over Kagome's mouth. He had gone pale white. "I don't want to know. Don't tell me."

"Can I give you a name?" Kagome asked, prizing his fingers from her lips. The prince went even paler. "Oh Lords no! No. Don't do that! Names make individuals. Individuals feel pain, loss, hardship. Things best avoided."

Kagome waved her hands in a calming fashion. "No names. No problem…. just… did you have a name before you gave up your Sweetheart?"

The prince looked away, uncertain. "I think I might have. Before I locked my heart away. Cufflinks and cravat!"

Kagome scrabbled to find the items he demanded, putting them on the prince as best as she could. He did not adjust them and she wasn't sure if she had gotten it right or he didn't know how.

"What about your Sweetheart?" Kagome asked, confused as they strode down the hallway. "You must still cherish her. You dream about her. Miss her. Don't you?"

"That doesn't matter. I will never see her again."

"Why not?" Kagome almost bounced into the back of The Prince who had stopped suddenly.

There was a susurrus of expensive fabric and Kagome looked up. A beautiful young woman dressed in amethyst stood at the top of the staircase, her hand elegantly resting on the banister. She made no move to descend, as if she knew full well how she looked from that vantage point. She was beautiful like the edge of a blade and Kagome resisted the urge to take a step back from the sharpness she saw in the lady's eyes. The lady glowed with elegant confidence and Kagome found herself feeling every speck of mud and crease marring her own appearance.

"My Fiancé." The prince said, uncomfortably. "You've not had a chance to meet her yet. My father and her father organised the match. I promised him on his deathbed that I would make her my queen."

Kagome's mouth made a little 'O' and she followed dazedly behind the prince, her brain frantically scrabbled to find what had happened to the story she thought she was in. This tale certainly didn't seem have anything to do with swans.

Above, leaning on the banister the prince's fiancé's gaze bored into Kagome's back, her eyes narrowing with suspicion.

~o0o~

The day passed swiftly as Kagome tried to wangle her way out of the castle again. She had to get back to Sesshoumaru and figure out what had gone wrong with this tale – why there seemed no link between what was happening in the castle and what had happened to him.

But every time she thought she'd finished one task for the prince there was another. Fetch and carry, retrieve a change of jackets, a change of footwear. The prince seemed to go through as many changes of outer clothes as fashion model on a catwalk. And Kagome was expected to be the one doing the changing. She was finally excused when the prince was hustled into a meeting by an advisor. Glancing at where the sun rested in the sky Kagome bit back a curse and tried again to reach the entrance of the castle, still carrying the box of riceballs she had been optimistically lugging with her since early that morning.

"Prince's Valet…"

Kagome cringed as an impersonal voice called behind her. She turned, expecting another summons from the prince.

"The Prince's Fiance wishes to speak with you. This way."

Curious Kagome cast one last glance at the open gate of the keep. Perhaps talking to the fiancé would give her another piece of the puzzle. There _were_ several more hours until dark… Biting back a sigh Kagome turned and trudged behind the servant, letting them lead her into an unfamiliar part of the castle.

Kagome was ushered into a long hallway and directed to continue forward alone. The prince's fiancé would be found beyond the next three doors. There was a crunching sound beneath her feet and Kagome looked down. Someone had liberally sprinkled the floor of the corridor with dried peas. Had she been wearing lighter slippers they might have rolled under her feet and made her slide but her stout boots crushed them as she stepped. She thought she heard a rustling of cloth from one of the side archways but saw no one.

Shrugging Kagome opened the door at the end of the hall and passed through.

The next room was filled with elegant looms, baskets of rich thread so full they spilled over onto the floor. Kagome barely cast a glance at them as she hastened on, intent on hearing why the fiancé wanted to talk to her then escaping the castle before the prince spilled something on his cravat… again.

She pushed the doors open into a third antechamber. This one was full of spinning wheels, large baskets of fluffy white fleece rested beside each. The thought of another faerie tale that involved those items immediately leapt to Kagome's mind and she tucked her hands into her belt and grimly picked up her pace, shouldering her way through into the last room.

The prince's fiancé sat on what could only be called a throne. At her feet a collared lion sat watching Kagome with a bemused expression. The Fiancé glowered at the beast and prodded it with a foot.

"I was told you couldn't lie." The woman bit out, her beautiful face marred with a scowl.

"Excuse me?" Kagome asked. Her words were ignored but two guards in unfamiliar livery stepped in to grasp her elbows, immobilising her. The fiancé rose irritably from her seat and walked a tight circle around Kagome and her captors, finally grabbing Kagome's hair at the nape of her neck and twisting it, forcing Kagome's face into a clearer light.

The fiancé cast a glance back at the lion and studied Kagome's face one more time.

"You may not be a woman, despite your pretty face. But you can't have him and I won't let someone else to displace me. He's mine." The fiancé let go of Kagome's hair and gestured at the guards. "Get rid of him."

A dark bag was placed over her head and Kagome was roughly manhandled away, still clutching the handle of her box of rice balls.


	29. Three Doors Down

**Disclaimer: **Claims are like oysters except they live in salt water not brackish... oh CLAIMS not clams. No I claim nothing... well except for three dogs that take a lot of feeding and a little old lady... and perhaps a few floors decorated with celestial bodies. But that doesn't make me any money.

**Authorial note: **Reworked a bit to make Kagome's conversations less stilted. I recognise and accept and apologise for my tendancy to use deus ex machina throughout this. But then gods are apparently like that - insufferable busy-bodies.

_~Chapter 29 - Three Doors Down~_

The sack over her head had muffled sound somewhat but Kagome was certain she had not only been smuggled out of the castle but also out of the city.

After being manhandled from the Fiance's presence Kagome had been bound hand and foot then slung into the back of a cart. She had bumped and bounced with varying speed over cobblestones, then the wheel ruts of a dirt road. At the end of the ride she had been bodily lifted then, dangling, lowered somewhere by rope. Kagome was fairly certain the rest of the rope had been thrown in after her when she reached the bottom, the end of it bouncing off her head, only partially cushioned by the hessian sack.

She now sat in the dark, working her fingers blindly against the knots at her wrists, Eager to get the sack off her head and still irate at the Fiancé's dismissive words, as much, if not even more so, as by her subsequent treatment.

" '_May not be a woman.' May not be a woman? What was that all about? What was she expecting? That the prince was hiding old girlfriends around the castle? Evidently I appear male again…"_

Fingers still picking at the knots Kagome remembered the peas on the floor, the looms and her own very evident aversion to the spinning wheels. Wasn't there was another story with twelve girls that had mentioned those items as some sort of test… What had happened to the swan story?… they weren't in the same narrative… a little similar but then there were dozens of stories that had twelve siblings…

The first knot loosened and Kagome focused her full attention to untying herself.

The sack, the second her hands were free, was ripped off and thrown, with more than a little satisfaction, across the room. Glancing around Kagome took in her prison even as her fingers attacked the cords about her ankles. A faint light from far above illuminated enough for her to see that she was in some sort of dark, stony chamber.

Free at last she stiffly levered herself to her feet and She wasn't sure how long it had taken to free herself, but she knew that she should have been back at the lake a long time ago. Sesshoumaru would be more than… well probably not worried… but, she found herself hoping, maybe more than a little concerned by her absence. She trusted he would look after the young girls, at least as well as he had Rinn.

As if in response to her memory of the pale youkai lord the light around her brightened, a cool silver light that formed a ragged circle on the floor around her.

Looking up Kagome realised that the sudden increase in illumination came from the moon rising high enough to shine down into her prison. She was in some sort of deep pit. Her heart sank. Around her feet the length of rope lay like an inert and very long snake. Escaping from the direction she had arrived didn't seem very likely.

She could now see the walls of the rounded chamber were a mixture of stone and earth, great tree roots radiated out from above almost like pillars. The reflected light also gleamed softly on the brass doorknobs of the three wooden doors set in the walls of the chamber.

Kagome then noticed that her box of rice balls had also been thrown down with her and it had survived the impact. She picked up the box and hugged it to her chest. Well she wouldn't starve if she found couldn't get out immediately... just die of thirst. Great.

There was a stirring and a coarse growling noise from behind one of the doors. Kagome jumped. She'd not thought about anyone else being down there with her. The sudden possibility of being trapped there with something dangerous became a distinct possibility. Warily she tiptoed over to the nearest and listened.

With her ear pressed against the wood she could clearly hear loud breathing on the far side, as if from a very large animal. Behind the second door she could also hear breathing, though quieter, a large animal, not so big. The third door was quiet. Steeling herself Kagome pushed that door open and stepped into the room.

A small lantern shed light from the wall, illuminating a dog with huge glowing eyes that watched her from its perch on a wooden chest in the middle of the room. It was grey and terrier like with wiry hair and a wispy tail. It was also the size of an Alsatian and very intent on Kagome.

Warily she stepped forward. The dog didn't move and she took a glance around the room. The walls were white marble and the floor was a mosaic of what pale blue tiles with a large yellow sun the centre of the pattern upon which the chest rested.

She edged further into the room watching the other inhabitant. The dog didn't seem hostile, just alert. Kagome had spent enough time with individuals of a canine nature to have a fair grasp of their body language. If anything this one seemed a little… expectant?

"Hullo… Um… Would you like a riceball?"

The dog's ears perked and Kagome thought she saw the tail wag, very slightly. Careful not to break eye contact Kagome fumbled for the catch of the box and withdrew a rice ball, holding it out. The dog licked it's lips and blinked then stiffly stood up, stretched, then hopped off the chest.

Politely it took the morsel from her fingers, chewed it a few times and swallowed. Then it looked from her to the chest and back again, it's tail subtly wagged.

Kagome, prompted, lifted the lid and looked inside. The chest was full of copper coins so polished that they seemed to give off their own light. Resting on the top of the pile was a full lacquered bottle in the shape of a gourd. Vine leaves and tendrils curled across the glossy black surface, picked out in gold powder.

"Am I mean to take this?" Kagome asked tentatively picking it up. The was an inviting sloshing noise from inside. The lid of the casket dropped closed, narrowly missing Kagome's other hand and she jumped. The dog scratched itself nonchalantly behind the ear before hopping back onto the lid of the chest, turning three times around then sitting again. Taking its action as a 'yes' Kagome carefully uncorked the gourd and took a sniff.

Fresh water! Gratefully she took a sip, then another, drinking thirstily. When she finished she found the gourd still seemed as full as ever.

She looked at the dog. It blinked and yawned at her. Kagome thanked it anyway and gave it another rice ball before going to investigate the second room. She left the first door open. Just in case.

The next door opened onto a room with a starry mosaic on the floor. A dachshund the size of a pony crouching on a chest that was similar but longer than the first. Its nose twitched and Kagome heard its stomach growl softly.

"I guess you like rice balls too…" Kagome remarked and then laughed as the coppery dog barreled off the chest and sat in front of her eagerly even before she had finished opening her box. She fed it two rice balls since it was twice the size of the first dog and, with trepidation, let it lick the stray grains from her fingers with a tongue the size of a hand towel.

With slightly spit-wet fingers she lifted the lid on the second chest to find it full of silver coins. Resting on top was a small painted red box. Leaning in Kagome picked it up and held it toward the light to read the black Kanji that marked the four main sides.

"Hah! I know what tale _this_ bit is at least!" Kagome laughed out turning over the large cardboard box of matches with "火口箱" "_tinderbox_", to show the dog who was more interested in hunting for stray grains of rice on the floor.

"But it's completely different from the swan one and the other one… I've got no how they fit together… But at least I know how I get out now." The dog's ears dropped in uncertainty then rose again at her relieved laughter.

Kagome happily ruffled the huge dogs ears with both hands and they slapped like great velvety kites against the sides of its head. "Good dog! Here, have another rice ball!"

~o0o~

Kagome stepped into the final room with confidence, feeling that she was getting the hang of the numbers, if nothing else, in Benten's maze of fairytales. Things came in threes, or twelves, it seemed. And if the first two doors had held friendly dogs this one would do the same…

The sight of the third dog, despite having some idea what to expect, made Kagome stumble backwards instinctively. She bumped into the doorframe and braced herself there until she remembered to draw breath again.

The third dog was a black greyhound the size of an asian elephant. Unlike the other two it did not attempt to sit on the chest in the middle of the room, rather it rested its long head on the box. Rolling its huge eyes to watch her it made no move to rise. Its stomach's gurgle reverberated through the moon mosaic tiled floor beneath Kagome's feet.

Kagome sucked in a deep breath and fumbled with the catch of the box, her fingers shaking a little.

"Um. Hullo…?"

The giant dog's long tail thumped once.

"Would you like a rice cake?"

The dog's tail thumped twice, harder, stirring the dust on the floor.

"Um. You'd best come over and get it then."

Kagome held three rice cakes out on the flat of her hands and the greyhound surged to its feet. Stretching it yawned revealing long ivory teeth. This dog's tail brushed the ceiling and its lanky legs were like tree trunks. Kagome dazedly wondered how it had been coaxed into the room in the first place and who fed it in between adventurers.

Carefully picking up it's feet the third dog stepped over and delicately licked the morsels off her hand with the tip of it's tongue. It didn't bother to chew.

"Uh. Wait a moment and I'll give you another one… Just give me a minute" Rather than walk around the dog that towered over her Kagome ducked between it's legs to get to the wooden chest.

Lifting the lid she found the expected gold coins but also, sheathed and resting on the shimmering wealth, Tensaiga.

"Ah. I lose one of you and find the other..." Kagome wiped her hands thoroughly on her jerkin before carefully lifted the katana from the box. There was a pulse through it – a sort of sharp warning buzz that became a surprised, friendly hum, or at least as far as she could interpret. "Sesshoumaru-sama knew we'd find you again." She confided in the fang.

The greyhound dog whined uncertainly at the sound and turned on the spot to face Kagome, carefully prancing in a tight circle on it's paws and forcing her to duck as it's tail swung over her head. It attempted to nose the sheathed blade and Kagome was forced to fend it off with one hand, still speaking to the blade.

"Tensaiga-sama. Um. Thank you again for the assistance you granted the last time we met."

There was a pleased purr from the blade, almost audible. The dog whistled through its nose and Kagome produced a fourth rice ball to distract it from the unusual sounds.

"See we're all friends here now."

"Hullo? Hullo is that a voice I hear in there?" A thin wavering voice arose from outside. Kagome held her breath. The call was repeated and she ran out into the original chamber. The moon had moved across the opening and only a fraction of light remained, partially blocked by a silver-headed person.

_Sesshoumaru!_ was Kagome's first thought, but the voice was old and female. The hair frazzled and half pulled back beneath a kerchief.

"Um… Hullo up there? Would that be a lady who might lend a hand?" Kagome called up to the silouhette.

"Eh? Eh? Who's that down there? What's that you want?" The old lady's head cocked like a bird. She did not sound unfriendly, just a little bemused. "Is that another of the fiance's cast offs?"

"Er. I'm a… a soldier down on my fortune… Can you throw a rope or something down that I can climb up? Um. I think I have something that belongs to you."

There was a wry chuckle. "Do you now?"

A rope descended and Kagome hastened for it before the moon moved further and all light was cut off. She was grateful of the knots set at close intervals that allowed her to scale the rope. When she reached the top a pair of wizened hands gripped her arms and helped her out of the pit. A wooden lid, like a well cover rested beside the hole. The old woman noticed Kagome's glance.

"I usually keep it covered – it wouldn't do for some lost kiddie or animal to fall down there. What with the Fiancé using it as a casting bowl for whichever young thing she thinks the Prince has set his cap at I tend to check here abouts every second night now."

She scrutinized Kagome's face then glanced down at the three objects Kagome had carried out of the pit. "None of them tried the chests though… If they ever got close enough to see them."

"Um. I believe these are yours..." Kagome tucked Tensaiga under her arm and proffered the gourd and the tinderbox.

The old woman clucked in amusement. "Very ready to hand away what could be important treasures. That sword isn't yours either yet you look to be hanging on to it."

Kagome tightened her arm over the katana. "I know who owns Tensaiga."

"So you do lovey. And the gourd isn't mine either. I'm sure the owner will get it back off you in due time. But this, this is mine."

The old lady gently took the little red box from Kagome's hand and turned it over lovingly. There was something in her presence that prompted Kagome to speak.

"You know in the story I know the old lady who helped the soldier was killed by the man she rescued. Without him knowing what it can do." She paused and added "The more I think about some of these old stories the more the main characters seem to be really horrible and not heroes at all."

"Well." The old lady patted Kagome's hand. "That's them and you're you. Keep that in mind. Stories are useful for what is take out of them. Not just for what they contain."

Kagome opened her mouth to ask the old woman about who she was, how the three current stories fitted and how to escape but the crone held up a hand, silencing her and offering back the little red box.

"You can consider this a test of character if you like. As a reward for not killing me", the old lady's eyes twinkled. "I will lend you this tinderbox. Use it to call my three dogs if you are in need, One strike for the smaller, three for the largest. Ask them for anything and they will do it. One time each only though. They will return to me when their task is done."

"Who are you?" Kagome asked, taking the box in both hands.

"Oh you may call me Kichijo-ba-san* if you really feel a need to refer to me at all. I don't know that you'll be seeing me again any time soon.  
"Here I will give something else even more powerful for safe keeping." The old woman grasped Kagome's arm and drew the girl's her head down, softly she whispered three words into the girl's ear, repeating them three times to be sure they were remembered.

"Now." The old woman straightened. "You'd best get going – the night will not last forever and someone will be looking for you."

~o0o~

* 火口箱 /Literally: 'origin of fire' box

*Kichi-ba-san Grandma Kichi – referring to: *吉祥天 Kichijōten, a Japanese counterpart of Lakshmi and is wife to Bishamon (see chapter 1 footnotes) She is sometimes one of the seven gods of fortune, replacing Jurōjin.


	30. A Court Bewitched

**Disclaimer:** I take no claim of intellectual property on two of the myriad of characters that occur in this chapter. They know who they are. The rest I suppose belong to me, including the string of young women who feel safest when following.

_~Chapter 30 – A Court Bewitched_

The sun was sinking on the westward side of the lake, the light coating everything in a thick golden lacquer. Sesshoumaru scoured the shore from his place obscured under the foliage of a stunted willow tree. He was not _hiding_, rather assessing his opponents, readying to strike as soon as was free of the confines of bird form.

He was also contemplating the ability to fly. The heavy, cumbersome body he wore had never felt particularly aerodynamic but seeing the wild swans gracefully wing their way past he registered jealousy. The weight of the heavens seemed to prevent him from taking to the air in his youkai form. Would they have tried to stop him as a swan?  
How much faster he would have travelled had he thought to try these wings? And now there were five men with crossbows nearby waiting for something white to fly past near enough to shoot. He glowered inwardly and added a mark to his score to settle with Benten.

A logical thought shortly followed his brief pang of envy; that Higurashi Kagome would not have been able to follow had he taken to the sky. Followed by the knowledge that something probably would have happened to ensure she didn't have to, and probably to him. He snorted irritably and checked the sun, hoping it had sunk more during his ruminations. He felt in need of something to kill and the hunters were close to hand.

There was a soft noise near the island where he had left the cygnets. Sesshoumaru turned his head to fix one eye then the other on the clump of trees that sheltered his charges.

There was another querious sound, this time louder but from the shore. He spat an expletive noise through his nostrils. It sounded like an adult swan but it could not be. He had been watching very attentively despite his thoughts being elsewhere.  
The hunters: could they be making the noises?  
Trying to lure the mudane swans to them?

Would the cygnets know the difference?

Sesshoumaru warily sculled out from the shelter of the willow as the sky dulled to lavender and his white plumage gleamed silver on the grey water. He strained each sense for a sight, a sound, from the hunters. Nothing stirred.

He made up his mind and paddled swiftly for the island. Soon it would be moonrise and then all this skulking could end. But until then he would see the cygnets safe.

There was a shout from the banks, too far away for an accurate shot from a crossbow, but it appeared he had been spotted. Sesshoumaru ignored it and clove on through the water, striding swiftly up the bank and into the vegetation of the isle. The cygnets were huddled where he had left them, silent and obedient. He dipped his head fractionally in approval then turned to face the coming hunters.

The young moonlight cut through the trees like a knife of rice paper and Sesshoumaru reared up into it eagerly. With youkai form he could properly deal with these hunters…

He shivered eagerly out of his feathers, stretching up into human form only to find he was hampered once again by skirts, thick and heavy fabric with more brocade than a wedding kimono. He hissed his irritation and turned, claws curled, as the first man burst through the bushes.

~o0o~

The huntsman Takano pushed through the undergrowth intent on the swans. What he found in the clearing made him drop to his knees in disbelief and awe.

Standing in a shaft of moonlight was a lady so fair she seemed carved from alabaster and ice, her white damask gown was stiff with embroidered lilies and her short hair floated around her head like a tufted halo. Arrayed in a half circle were eleven dark-haired young hand-maidens in similar but simpler garb, their eyes modestly lowered. The woman's eyes were not. They flashed golden and hard, skewering him as if for his impertinence. She stood with her head held high, a dusting of colour on her fine cheekbones and her slender hands clenched into fists.

He remembered to draw breath after a few heart beats.  
"M… My Lady? Forgive me for startling you." Takano followed her sharp gaze down at the ready crossbow he still held. Hastily he lowered it and removed the bolt, throwing it aside. "I beg your pardon."

The woman's gaze did not change.

Takano remembered his manners and pulled his hat from his head. There was a scrabbling through the thicket behind him and Shikuri came stumbling through, almost falling over the first hunter. He too, after a glance at his fellow, snatched the hat from his head and bowed, confused. The lady's gaze flickered towards the mainland.

"You… You'll be here for the ball then?" Takano stuttered, gesturing frantically for Shikuri to lower the crossbow he too carried.  
"I am sure The Prince is expecting you. Were you waylaid by bandits? Are you all unharmed? Where are your guards?"

~o0o~

Sesshoumaru had been ready to throw himself at the human hunters, claws ready to tear them limb from limb. But again, like invisible cobwebs hindering his movement he had been unable to move. His fury brought a high colour to his cheeks and ears as he struggled against the Goddess's intervention.

Before him the two men babbled questions he barely heard. Taking a firm grip on his anger he slowly breathed out though his nose and focused his attention on the deferential hunters. He could not kill them, he would make use of them then.  
He had heard Kagome referred to in past tales by the foreign word "Prince". It had seemed to indicate someone of status, perhaps a feudal lord or daimyō. Perhaps that was the reason she had not yet returned.

He turned the thought over like an interesting pebble. Evidently there were specific ways to move through the labyrinth of these tales and he had now happened on one of them. Very well as she had not been able to come back by the expected time then he would deign to take the cygnets to her. The sooner he found her again the swifter they would escape this story.

He returned his focus to the first of the huntsmen who was waiting anxiously for his reply and inclined his head slightly.

"If… if you would follow me my lady – we will escort you to the castle."

~o0o~

The lady and her maidens followed Takano with the elegant grace of swans on the water. Stepped lightly in their doe skin slippers behind the hunters who found themselves filled with a protective care. Within moments they were back on the bank of the island, a knee-deep wade to muddy shallows to the shore facing them.

Takano looked at the pristine white gowns of the gathered women and swallowed, holding out his arms to their leader.

"We will carry you to shore."

The lady looked at the hunter's proffered hand and her nostril's flared in distaste. Takano blushed and glanced away, wishing his hands were cleaner. In that moment she seemed to gather herself and then sprang over the water, landing as light as thistle down on the shore, her slippers unbesmirched by the mud. The eleven girls stood waiting on the shore, their eyes fixed on their mistress like goslings. Takano blinked and shook his head unable to fathom how it had occurred.

He opened his mouth to query but the beautiful, aloof face of the lady, utterly complacent and distinctly waiting, shut it for him. Nodding to his fellow as he rubbed his hands cleaner on his jacket Takano turned back to the girls who, mercifully, let themselves be carry to the mainland.

There was another of the faux swan calls querying call from further into the forest and Takano raised his own voice.

"Enough of that! Forget the swans! Masato! Tekugi! Bring the horses and make haste!" Takano spun to face the Lady. "By your leave your grace – we'll take you to the ball immediately. I'll leave Pano and Shikuri here to search for your own escort and to direct them on. So please you…"

Sesshoumaru inclined his head fractionally. A part of his pride boiled at being perceived as a woman yet again but Benzaiten seemed intent on proving a point by it. He would not rise to her bait again.

Instead he ran a critical eye over the five humans who were now hastily removing their hunting kit from their six horses and, very deferentially, hoisting the young girls, two per horse, sideways onto the saddle. The children sat obediently. The first clinging to the horse's mane, the second to the back of the saddle with one hand and to her fellow with the other.

Sesshoumaru eyed the final horse they lead up. The youngest of the swans, her throat and shoulder still marred from the mink's teeth earlier in the day, clung silently to the saddle.

"I will walk. You-" Sesshoumaru gestured at the first hunter, "will ride with her. We depart now."

Takano bowed, eager to serve the lady, his allegiance to the prince almost entirely forgotten. Her voice was mesmerizing, soft and dulcet but firm and not to be crossed. She stood expectantly as Pano and Shikuri,at his direction, bowed and darted off to comb the lake area for traces of her retinue.

Takano glanced at Tekugi as he swung into the saddle behind the smallest of the handmaidens. His tracker nodded and set off towards the keep at a trot, the white lady striding along behind, her skirts rippling out behind her.

~o0o~

Footmen hastened to open the large and ornate doors to the ballroom as the latecomer glided towards them across the green marble floor, her handmaidens strung out behind her like a skein of snow geese.

There had been no hindrance at the gates, crowds of peasant revelers had parted in hushed curiosity to allow the huntsmen lead the noble women to the castle. From there servants had been falling over one another in an effort to please. Refreshments were refused.  
The only words the white lady uttered were "I will see this "prince"." Her countenance brooked no opposition.

The doors of the ballroom, swung inward just as the music trailed off and Sesshoumaru stepped into the crowded ballroom. A liveried man at the door tried to catch his attention to ask for a name, Sesshoumaru looked witheringly at the man and entered unannounced. There was an uncertain murmur from the other participants and then the music began again and, apart from the occasional covert assessing glance and occasional hushed comment between ladies behind their fans, he was left alone. A footman who had followed him in noticed him searching the crowd of people.

"My Lady – The Prince will appear shortly. If you would care to mingle in the mean time I am sure he will be willing to speak to you after he has made his announcements." He shriveled beneath Sesshoumaru's gaze and hastily bowed himself out of the taiyoukai's presence.

Sesshoumaru surreptitiously scented the air, immediately regretting it. The number of tinctures, powders, perfumes, eau de toilettes, rose waters, posies, fragrant lilies and underlying human sweat made his eyes water. He could not find any trace of Higurashi Kagome's scent among them.

Sesshoumaru weighed up leaving the hall to look for her but, irritatingly, found the air thickened against him whenever he attempted to walk to the doors. Instead he circled the ballrooms and halls, seeking the weak points in Benzaiten's wards. The guards, like decorative statues, stood to attention by each of the doors and windows. Their armor was light, more ornamental than anything, human and no threat. Sesshoumaru assessed in a glance and moved on, scanning his surroundings as he prowled through the rooms seeking any trace of youki or heavenly power. Irritable and seeking distraction while he waiting for the "Prince" to make himself known. Kagome would be left unmistaken in regards to his displeasure at being left to wait.

All the while he cygnets followed quietly behind him.

A flicker of light amidst the crowd of humans caught his eye as he turned from eyeing the iron grills set into the high windows. He found himself focusing on the skirts of a particular dress, noting the small metal disks that glittered at the slightest movement of the wearer. Silently he mouthed the word 'sequins'. Higurashi Kagome was right, they did bring to mind stars, or hot coals, or sunlight on water.  
Showy and a little ostentatious. Rinn would like them very much.

During his assessment of the ornamentation worn by the human women Sesshoumaru found himself drifting closer to the alcove where the musicians providing the dance music were seated. Most of the instruments were familiar to him but one especially was entirely foreign. Intrigued he stepped closer.

Sesshoumaru intently watched the fingers of one of the musicians, trying to follow how they were coaxing the sounds from his instrument. The musician, daunted by the intent gaze of one of the most striking women in the room, found himself playing better than he had ever before. As if inspired by his energy the rest of the musicians picked up their pace and the music became passionate. More and more individuals stopped dancing and turned to listen to the music. Time passed, the musicians played on at though possessed, sweat trickled down their collars.

There was a hammering noise from the dais and Sesshoumaru whirled started and angry with himself for allowing so petty a distraction as music to hold his attention.

The musicians, with a mixture of relief and regret, downed their instruments, certain they would never play so well again.

~o0o~

The Prince escorted his fiancé up onto the dais. She wore imperial purple edged in silver, rich against the Prince's plainer white dress uniform. Her eyes scanned the crowd below triumphantly until they settled on Sesshoumaru. The cygnets had arrayed themselves behind him in a fan, their white dresses creating a patch of snowfall in a room bright with colour. The fiancé bit off a hiss of irritation.

This woman, this stranger had entered Her ballroom dressed to match Her Prince. And with attendants as if she were a bride.  
_How Dare She!_

~o0o~

Sesshoumaru glowered in irritation. The prince had turned out to be a vapid human man with poor dress sense.

He hitched up his skirts and strode up onto the dais to look at the man closer, already certain that there was no way this could be Higurashi Kagome in disguise. The crowd parted around him in uncertainty. His cygnets followed obediently behind.

"Who are you?" The woman beside the Prince's voice was shrill and she took a step forward, her diamond encrusted décolleté heaving with emotion. Sesshoumaru side-stepped her to scrutinise the prince closer.

There was a faint trace of Kagome about the Prince's clothing. He could smell her exasperation still. She had been vexed by the man but not harmed.

The prince remained still, for a moment then feebly said. "But.. but you're not my Sweetheart… who are you and why are you here?"  
Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed as the woman plucked at his arm, still yammering about protocols, civility and the knowing of one's place.

Below the crowd watched, fascinated to see what would happen next

Sesshomaru twitched his arm from her grip but did not step back rather drew himself up fractionally to run his gaze down the dress of the hostile woman and back up to her face. His slightly raised brow succinctly communicating: _Who are You to address Me_?

~o0o~

大名 Daimyō – Is a title used for land holding lords often powerful individuals owning large amounts of territory. The office was often hereditary and existed from the 10th to 19th century.


	31. Hounded through Halls

**Disclaimer: **I claim no possession but for the three fabulous hounds and the relentless amount of spelling mistakes I have surely left in here.

**Authorial note: **Reworked somewhat because bits just wouldn't work, wouldn't work, wouldn't work at all for the next chapter. So. Finally rejigged so we can get a move on again.

_~Chapter 31 – Hounded through Hall~_

Kagome ran along the road, the rice box bouncing against her hip. She was nearing the edge of the lake now. The smell of marshes was sharp at the back of her nose, burning her sinuses as she panted for breath. The track the old woman had pointed her towards had taken her downhill through woodlands to the marsh surrounding the lake. It had been a long run a she had ruled out using the tinderbox to get her to the lake, certain that the three wishes would be needed later.  
_Ganbaru Kagome_! She chanted to the beat of her stride and the jab of the stitch in her side. _Hashiru, Ganbaru, Hashiru, Ganbaru*._

The ground grew boggy under foot and the moon was well along it's descent back to the horizon. Despite the dwindling light Kagome could make a few old footprints, some her old tracks from the morning but these were criss crossed by other, fresher prints in the soft ground. worried she hastened on…  
Only to find no sign of Sesshoumaru or the cygnets on the lake.

With fear rising in a walnut sized knot in her throat Kagome cast about the reeds, calling out his name. Her voice sounding shrill and lonely against the soft susurrus of the reeds and lap of water on the shore.

A breeze fresh off the lake slid over her sweat-wet skin, chilling her, but the shiver that rattled down her spine was borne more from emotion than temperature. She was sure he hadn't abandoned her, not this time. Something must have happened…

There was a "Hoy" from the dark forest and Kagome spun, hopeful even when she knew that Sesshoumaru would never hale her in such a fashion. Lanterns appeared through the trees and a pair of shadows detatched themselves from the forest.

"Oii! Oiiii! Hey there? Who's that?" An unfamiliar male voice called out, waving his lantern as he and his fellow strode closer.

Indecisiveness froze Kagome for a breath – should she run or confront these strangers. She felt suddenly vulnerable and very alone. The man's next words made the decision for her.

"Any chance you are of the White Lady's retinue?"

"Ah! You've seen them? Where are they?" The words tumbled from Kagome's mouth and the men, now almost within arms reach, lifted their lanterns high revealing all faces.

"Why it's the Valet! What on earth are you doing here? Hasn't the ball begun by now? If the prince sent you to find her Takano san and the others escorted them to the keep hours ago."

Kagome's eyes fell on the white bird hanging from the second hunter's hand. A swan, half plucked. The light of the torches flickered on its blank eyes. Bile rose in her throat and she blurted out: "All of them? How many. How many ladies did you find"

"Eleven." The hunter said, Kagome's breath caught, oblivious to her panic he continued. "Along with their mistress. Aiie. What a beauty! Oi. Are you alright?"

Kagome had sunk into a crouch, focusing on controlling her breath, tears leaking from her eyes. Eleven and Sesshoumaru. It was just a normal swan. It was ok. Sesshoumaru had kept them all together.

"Oi….o..oi Valet. Are you alright?"

Kagome drew in a shuddering breath. "Yes. I… I just have to get back to the castle."

The hunter sucked his teeth thoughtfully. "Maa. Not much luck for you there. The others took all the horses. You look done in though. Shikuri and I didn't manage to catch all the swans the fiancé wanted for the table though. We figured better to have a night out on the lake than head back and face her tonight."

"The prince's fiancé sent you out here for swans?"

"Yah. At this time of the year. Crazy eh. It was only by amazing chance we saw a flock fly over. Only managed to bag one too… Oi."

Kagome wasn't listening by that point – Despite her leg muscles twitching and jumping from her earlier exertion Kagome turned on her heel and began heading for the road and the distant lights of the city.

"Oi: Valet… where are you going? Are you crazed – with the moon so low it'll be dark as pitch before you get anywhere"

"I have to get back to the keep." Kagome replied, trying not to be curt. The two men did look worried for her sake. "It's very important – on the Prince's business."

"Take a lantern at least… Good luck.

~o0o~

Kagome lost the lantern only a short while later.

She slipped in her haste and then tripped on a stump hidden in the undergrowth, painfully barking her shin as she fell, head-first, into a peat-dark pool. Surfacing spluttering she pulled herself from the water using handfuls of bulrushes and staggered back onto solid ground.

Kagome crouched empty handed, hugging her knees, ignoring how her grazed shin stung. Tears welled in her eyes and she drew in a shaky breath as she streamed water and duckweed onto the dryer ground. She had no clue how to get back to the township in time, or if Sesshoumaru and the children were still alright. Gathering clouds blocked out any moonlight and she was all but lost now. If she'd stayed with the hunters she would be dry. The memory of the dead swan in the hunter's hands made her shiver in revulsion. No. There was no way she could have stayed there. And when the moon set Sesshoumaru and the children might turn into a swan in a room full of guards and nobility. She couldn't let that happen...

She sniffed and wiped her eyes on the back of her hand, as she did so she felt a lump in her sodden coat pocket bump her hip.  
The Tinderbox.

She cursed herself for an idiot. Saving them for something important? Like people died of thirst saving the last water in their waterskin.

With fumbling fingers Kagome pulled the cardboard box from her pocket, noting with dismay the cardboard was damp beneath to the touch. Carefully she thumbed the box open, relieved to find it did not contain wet matches. Instead there was a flint and an elegant curl of steel, both of which felt dry. Experimentally Kagome took one in either hand and cracked them briskly against each other three times. There was as sustained shower of sparks that made her almost drop everything.

The sparks swirled up into a Catherine-wheel bright wreath, the smoke drifting up, smelling of sulphur and incense. A long nose poked through the wreath of sparks, followed by a giant head as the enormous greyhound pushed it's way out through the fiery hoop.

Kagome gaped and would have done so for some time had the dog not turned its enormous eyes on her and spoke.

"What would you have me do Rice-giver, having summoned me?" The greyhound asked, its voice a nasal rumble.

"I… I need to get to the keep where the Prince is having his ball, as quickly as possible."

"And so it shall be done." The greyhound stretched down, bowing until it's belly touched the ground. "Climb on my back and we shall be away."

Kagome hastily put away the tinderbox and in doing so realised she had left her woven box, carried so long and with such determination, back where she spoke to the hunters.

"I… I've lost my riceballs…" Kagome said inanely.

"That is of no relevance," the dog said briskly. "Let us be off. I have my task."

Making sure she Tensaiga and the lacquered gourd still firmly tied to her belt Kagome scrambled up onto the hound's back. She had barely gotten a grip on the scruff of its neck when the greyhound rose in one smooth motion and launched forward in a bouncing stride that nearly catapulted Kagome from it's back.

The distance between the lake and the township was an eye-watering blur and Kagome spent most of it with her eyes squeezed shut against the wind, hunched down in the black fur.

The Greyhound didn't slow as it approached the town gates The guards shouted and began to close the great doors but the hound accelerated, digging it's paws in meters before the pike wielding men to spring over the stone walls.

Kagome clung on for dear life as one of her sodden boots slit off and pummeted to the ground below.

The landing of the greyhound on the far side of the wall was no smoother than the take off but Kagome managed, against her own expectation, to remain on the dog's back. They pelted down the main streets, terrifying the festival-goers that thronged the streets. Unable to watch Kagome closed her eyes again and muttered prayers that no one would be harmed by her wish for haste.

And then they were sliding to a stop by the wall of the castle, the castle guards gaping at the dog, lowering their spears nervously.

"You have reached the Keep as you wished." The greyhound stated as Kagome slid from it's back. "My task is done." With that it turned, nose to tail, faster and faster, dwindling and throwing off sparks until nothing was left but a charred set of paw prints on the cobbles.

"Thank you!" Kagome breathed, turning toward the bewildered guards.

"I don't know what chicanery that was but Clear Off!" The older of the men shouted at Kagome, lowering his pike in her direction. "Take your counjury elsewhere."

"I… I work for the Prince. I came at great haste and must attend him immediately…" Kagome

"We..We've orders – The invite list was Full and tweren't no magician on it. Move on before we make you." The second guard said, reaching for the hunting horn strung on a lanyard at his neck.

"Go on now - Get."

Dismayed Kagome bobbed a quick bow and hastened along the castle wall, away from the entrance. She met with a similar, though slightly less terrified response at the servant's gates and a bucket of water thrown at her by a cook from a window, telling her there was no use her begging for scraps.

Kagome glanced down at her disheveled clothing and bootless foot. She looked thoroughly disreputable. From inside the keep she heard a strain of music interspersed by a woman's shrill laughter. She was about to kick the wall with her booted foot but stopped and mentally kicked herself instead.

Ducking back into the shelter afforded by a side street she pulled the tattered tinderbox from her pocket and struck sparks twice. The sparks flared and sizzled on the stones, glowing like embers and the Dachshund as large as a pony was suddenly standing amidst them.

"What boon do you ask Rice Giver?" The dog demanded.

Kagome pointed at the castle. "I need to get in there, into that castle, without alerting the guards."

"It shall be done." The Dachshund snuffled along the solid stone cobbles that covered the street that wound around the castle. It grunted as though satisfied with what it had found and then began digging, stones the size of a man's fist were flung up by the dog's paws, then soil, barrow loads of soil – it was almost like watching an animation as the pony sized dog excavated it's way in down through the street towards the wall. Within minutes the dog's rump and tail disappeared under ground entirely. Kagome remained pressed against a wall, watching for guards.

The dog's head poked out of the hole then it's entire body surged out of the hole, shaking dirt from its coat. "Come, I have made you a path. Catch hold of my tail and I shall lead you thorough."

Kagome thanked the dog and did as instructed with one hand, keeping a firm grip on Tensaiga with the other. There was no light in the tunnel and she had to crouch to follow the dachshund. Beneath her bare foot she felt cobbles, then soil, then the sharp bite of shattered stone. She muffled a squeak of discomfort and stepped as lightly as she could. It seemed the castle had been built on bedrock and the hound had burrowed through.

_Not that surprising Rationally speaking _Kagome thought, a crazy little giggle escaping her _It **is** a magic dog after all. _And certainly not the only one she knew, not by a long shot.  
A particularly sharp stone jabbed that thought out of her head and she focused on using her booted foot to clear spots to place her bare one.  
After what seemed an eternity the hound lead her out into the a wine cellar that was only lit by a small spill. Someone had been here and intended to return.

"You are within the castle, my duty is done." The dachshund stretched and yawned. "This has been one of the easier ones I must say. Good luck I suppose." It shook itself and was gone in a sparkle of cinder motes.

"You too." Kagome murmured, looking around her in dismay. She couldn't hear any sounds beyond the cellar door. Steeling herself she cracked the door and looked out. A long dark corridor stretched in both directions.

Taking a deep breath and hoping that she wasn't using her last request wastefully Kagome struck her final blow with the flint and steel. The cardboard box falling apart and the two implements crumbling as the Alsatian sized terrier shook sparks from it's fur and looked at her expectantly.

Kagome thought of her last two wishes and how they had been to the pretty much to the letter of her word.  
"Please: Can you help me safely get to Sesshoumaru?"

"Heh. That's no challenge." The dog snorted. "Follow me, keep close and do as I say."

~o0o~


	32. Dogs, Destriers and Destiny

**Disclaimer: **I claim the four legged foaming ones and perhaps a few of the other bemused characters but the truly pertinent ones aren't actually mine

**Authorial note: **My thanks to **Robe a la Anglaise** for inspiring me to get it done for the new year. And again now in **May **-_-; for inspiring me to get back to it with a hammer to fix the bits that really irritated me. I realised that Sesshoumaru has been far too passive in the past three chapters and so went back and tweaked it a little so he's not been *trying* to be so or perhaps he's trying not to be passive but not getting much success.

_Chapter 32: Dogs, Destriers and Destinies._

The terrier trotted across the stone floor, his toenails clicking sharply and Kagome followed close on its heels. Occasionally it would sniff the air and hurry on or else chivy her into a shadowy corner until some servant or guard passed by.

Kagome had abandoned her other boot in the cellar in favour of moving silently behind the dog, still trailing the occasional drip of marsh water and mud.

As they moved upwards through the keep the floor changed to dirt to marble and the smoky tapers gave way to pristine white candles. The guard patrols became more frequent and the number of hiding places became fewer.

Finally, flattened against a wall behind a tapestry as yet another bevy of serving maids hastened past the dog turned to Kagome and softly spoke again:  
"From now you will need to be attentive and ready to act. Have that gourd to hand. You'll be needing it shortly. Now follow me, follow quick!" The dog darted from the curtain, and Kagome stumbled after it, scuttling down several winding corridors to a point that seemed to satisfy the hound.

"Here, tip some of that stuff across the corridor here." The terrier indicated a line bisecting the passage way with its nose

"What the water?" Kagome "Why"

"Less Yap, more do. Now!"

Kagome pulled the cork from the gourd and tipped it up. Instead of the water she was certain had been inside thick oil spread glugged out, coating the floor in a slick layer that smelled rather like olives.

"Don't be stingy. Nice big puddle. Ready? Back around that corner until I call for you." The dog sucked in a deep breath and began barking – it's voice a shrill yap that echoed off the walls. There was a sound that resolved into cursing as two guards came jogging down the corridor – They hit the oil in unison and went base over apex, swearing furiously.

"Now follow and Jump! Before the rest come!" The terrier threw itself towards the prone guardsmen, easily clearing the tangle of limbs. Kagome grit her teeth and followed, wedging the cork back into the bottle as she went, praying she wouldn't step in any of the spattering oil.

Behind them the sound of cursing was joined by shouts of alarm as more guards were drawn to the noise.

"Into this corner. Silent as a mouse and wait now." Half a dozen guards hammered past in the direction of the disturbance. As soon as they'd passed from sight the dog bounced back into the corridor

"Quick That's most of them!" The dog yapped at Kagome, rolling its eyes "Pour."

"What?"

"The gourd you fool! Pour across the corridor. Make haste!" The terrier stood stiff-legged, listening intently.

Kagome pulled the cork from the water container with her teeth and frantically sloshed around the content of the gourd. No oil fell this time. The smell of strong sakè roiled out in the confined space, making Kagome's eyes water, as the fluid almost crawled up the walls. Litre upon litre of triple distilled alcohol glugged from the small container, rapidly spreading across the floor.

"Be ready to run" the dog commanded as it drew breath, whiskers bristling.  
The dog sneezed sharply and a little spark shot from its nose and into the sakè with a _WHOOF!_ as flames leapt for the ceiling, hungrily biting into the tapestries on the wall.

"Run!" The dog yapped, it's tongue lolling as it followed it's own words and hightailed down the corridor. Kagome staggered after it, realising, with a slight degree of resentment, that the dog was enjoying all of this.

~o0o~

The dog crouched intently by the end of this final wide corridor and Kagome cautiously peered around the corner – only four guards stood flanking large and sumptuous closed double doors, strains of music and conversation rippled from beyond.

They looked a little nervous. Probably something to do with the reports of the fire that couldn't be put out in one of the lower corridors.

The grey terrier licked it's chop in anticipation and glanced up at Kagome. I will remove the guards for you – beyond those doors you should find what you seek. Then my task will be done."

"Thank you." Kagome said. "Um… Can you not hurt them. The guards I mean. It's not their fault I need to get past them. I don't want anyone to get hurt."

The dog rolled it's eyes at her. "You aren't a realist. I will do what must be done to forfil the wish you asked. Be ready to enter." It rose and silently shook itself, nudging her out of the way.

With a loud and feral snarl the wire haired dog launched itself around the corner, barreling into the first of the guards, causing him to slam into the doors with force and tangle the movements of the other three.

Behind the corner Kagome got ready to run for the door at the first opportunity.

~o0o~

The Prince fluttered his hands limply still staring at Sesshoumaru. Finally he seemed to find his voice, only to repeated "You're not my sweetheart… Why are you here?" His voice rose peevishly. "What is going on? Where is my Valet? I want my Valet."  
Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed and he parted his lips about to lift the prince up by his ruffled shirt and shake and answer out of him in regards to the appearance of this "Valet" when another disturbance ruffled through the watching crowd.

"Ameia? Is that you?" A half hysterical voice rose from the general murmer of the room. "Where have you been!"  
A bejeweled woman pushed through the crowd to seize the arms of one of the Cygnets. "Say somethinge Ameia!" The child paid no heed and continued to stare blankly and attentively at Sesshoumaru. The woman glared at Sesshoumaru. "You! What have you done to my daughter?"

Sesshoumaru blinked down at the woman. The similarity of face and scent confirmed the cygnet's relationship with the woman but the child remained unresponsive. The crowd shifted uneasily - no longer comfortable with the spectacle that, a moment earlier, had been entertaining.

The Fiancé's eyes narrowed and a narrow smile creased her lips. Stepping forward she pointed theatrically at the half circle of children and declaimed:  
"There is Sorcery at work here! The Prince and these children have obviously been bewitched."

"I have?" The prince stuttered looking down at himself. "I don't think I am."

The crowd surreptitiously sidled away from the eleven girls, but for Ameia's mother who glared poisonously at Sesshoumaru.

A hand took his elbow and the taiyoukai's gaze impaled the guard who had been trying, courteously, to remove him from the dais.

"Excuse me Mi'Lady…" The guard swallowed, his voice dwindling. "You'd best move away for safeties sake. We.. We have to protect our prince foremost."

"Guards!" The Fiancé shouted "Guards – seize this…"

A loud thump of weight thrown against the ballroom door interrupted her as the sounds of shouts and scuffling suddenly became audible outside. A visceral growl of challenge seemed to vibrate through the woodwork, followed by the clatter of armor and the sound of several more things bouncing heavily off the hall doors.

The accusations of witchcraft died on the Fiancé's lips as the doors burst open and a guard fell backwards through them, his head bouncing once on the floor then he lay still. Outside in the entrance hall a huge grey dog was baling up three guards against the far wall. Their spears lay scattered about them in splinters. The dog turned and darted into the room with a triumphant bark. The crowd of courtiers scattered like hens as it neared, hindering the guards within the ballroom who struggled to free their weapons without striking down the terrified nobility.

Behind the dog a tatterdemalion figure sprinted into the room, frantically scanning the crowd for a familiar face.

~o0o ~

Sesshoumaru had spun on his heel at the growl from the hallway, a reply had been half on his tongue even as the doors burst inwards and Kagome followed the grey dog into the room.

Around him the cygnets drew closer, all but the one still clutched in the arms of her weeping mother who remained still.

Kagome was covered in mud, duckweed and missing her shoes. Her hands, knees and feet were plastered in red mud from beneath castle. Her hair hung in rats-tails and her jacket was torn into strips in places. She pushed her fringe out of her eyes and stumbled across the room, the crowd parting around her as though she were covered in blood rather than lake silt.

Clutched in her hand was his father's sword. Sesshoumaru's lip quirked as she held it out towards him with determination stamped on her face.

"I say! That's my Valet! Where the devil have you been?" The prince's shrill voice rose above the furor of the room. That Kagome's attention was fixed on Sesshoumaru and not him self seemed to incense the prince from his vapid lassitude. "What the devil is going on? Is this your doing?" He jabbed a finger in Sesshoumaru's direction accusingly.

As Kagome drew within arm's reach of Sesshoumaru the dog barked loudly. "And I am done!" It jumped into the air, becoming a burningly bright ball that then exploded into sparks, dazzling all who looked upon them.

The woman turned red then pale. She rose with alacrity. "Guards! seize Him!" Sesshoumaru glanced at the finger, bemused to find it was not pointed at a Him but at a Her. Kagome appeared in no way male to him, especially with the way the wet shirt she wore clung to her torso.

"The prince's valet is in league with the sorcerer and has brought that witch to ensnare our Prince and steal your children."

There was a confused muttering through the crowd as people looked from Sesshoumaru to the Fiancé in confusion. There was no hostility directed at him… yet. His youki hearing picked out murmured discussions on the haste with which the Fiancé had moved in and the harried appearance of their prince/

Kagome stepped between Sesshoumaru and the woman on the Dais. The fine hairs down the taiyoukai's back prickled as Kagome drew on her reiki. To his eyes, and perhaps his alone, a pale pink light shimmered across her skin… Not his eyes alone: The fiancée drew herself up and stared at Kagome as if she saw a poisonous snake.

"I know what you are! I was warned against you." Kagome said, her words getting louder as she spoke. "You'd better leave right now or I will tell everyone what you are."

The woman in purple hissed as though struck "You will not say such before me!"

Kagome drew in a breath "Yokubari-Onna!*"

The Fiancé stiffened and turned her entire glare on Kagome. The woman's dark eyes had become golden, face rigid. The beauty was still there but it was a dangerous thing now – stripped of all softness.

"You will not…." There was an edge to the voice, a fluting panic.

"Shisshi-onna*" Kagome shouted, her voice humming with Reiki. The woman on the dais spasmed in pain began clawing at her dress with jagged talons, a fine fretwork of feathers appearing on her face, through her hair, her nose sharp and beak-like. "You… You dare…."

Sesshoumaru crouched slightly ready for the attack that he knew was coming from the bird Youkai as Higurashi Kagome forced it to show it's true form. The crowd behind them bunched together on the edge of panic. Sesshoumaru tightened his grip on Tensaiga as Kagome drew another breath. She knew all three names? She was going to speak the demon's third name? He watched with fascinated horror as she wielded kotodama with a ruthlessness that was equal to many of his past bouts of destruction.

"You sent hunters to kill baby swans you bitch. You can't hide here anymore Nest-thief! Go back to where you came." Kagome shouted at the prince's Fiancé as bird feathers continued to grow fast and free from the woman's arms. The torn purple silk fluttered in ribbons and gems sparkled down like ice shards at the woman grew in size and thrashed the air impotently with her wings.

Kagome drew a deep breath and hurled the last of the woman's names like an arrow, pushing every ounce of reiki she could muster into the words as they left her lips.

"**Amidori-woman***"

The Cuckoo-woman shrieked in terror as her feathers and gown burst into an inferno of flame. Kagome's cry of surprise and horror was just as loud and frightened. The prince fell over backwards and attempted to crawl under his throne as his fiancé beat uselessly at her burning flesh, her cries becoming weaker and then choked off all together.

"No! I didn't mean to hurt her! Not like that! I didn't think I could do so much damage." Kagome was frantic. "I just wanted to warn her off. We have to put out the fire! Quick!"

Sesshoumaru found Tensaiga pressed into his hands as Kagome pulled the gourd from her belt and shook it fiercely, eyes closed, her lips moving in a quiet frantic prayer that made no sense to him "soda water, soda water, soda water…." Then she unstoppered the cork.

Against physical possibility water foamed and gouted, fizzing violently from the container, splashing across the floor like a fire hose. The water bubbled out, washing over the Prince who clung to his throne but too late to save the ashy remains of the fiancée who was now little more than a twisted charred form smouldering on the carpet. There was no movement. No life. Nothing more than a brief grey stain in the white foam. The cuckoo-woman was very very dead. And by Kagome's action. Her mouth opened and closed as she sought some way to apologise for her action.

The Prince dragged himself to standing, still gripping his throne with whitened knuckles looking from the blackened patch where his Fiancé had stood to the catatonic Kagome with her endless gourd of water and the elegant silvery figure standing behind her.

"G…Guards! Guards do Something!" His voice was a shriek of panic. "Do Something!"

Roused from the stunned disbelief that had held the entire room still and staring the palace guards shook them selves back to attention and warily turned toward the two outsiders.

Kagome couldn't seem to tear her eyes from the spot where the Amidori-woman had stood. Everything else seemed to be covered with a haze. Sesshoumaru was not so afflicted. He took her firmly by the shoulders and spun her hard on the spot, liberally hosing the crowd around them. The marble, polished to mirror finish became treacherously slippery and one after another the women around them lost their footing and sank onto their damp posteriors. Their enormous ball gowns expanding out in tussocks of coloured silk, tulle and lace, like clumps of sodden blossoms floating on a pond surface, effectively blocking the guards approach.

At that moment the sun crested the keep wall outside and the hall was lit with the pale rays of dawn Sesshoumaru grit his teeth, waiting to be feather clad again. Sunlight sparkled off the mist of water in Kagome's hair but nothing else stirred. His hands, both which had been clenched into her shoulders opened and then, almost of it's own accord, one of them darted out to slap Kagome across the face, the pain shocking her back to attention.

"Wha.. Why? Oh!" Kagome's eyes widened as the soft light glowed on the hanging pennants and the white marble walls and sharp crack of his slap echo through the hall. Sesshoumaru was still humanoid. She blinked.

There was another moment where the only sound was the stream of rushing water that still spilled from the gourd, still in Kagome's lax hands, and out across the hall.

Then one of the cygnets shook her self and called for her mother, a clear, awake noise, and the others followed suit. Colour returning to their faces and several nobles, and one guardsman within the hall shouted in reply, wading through Kagome's gourd water, and in some cases slipping to their knees, to scoop up their lost children.

The gourd trembled in Kagome's hands and then, along with the water, horses* poured out of the opening. White and dappled grey, appaloosas with black spots and black with white blankets. A foam of horses that grew in size as they leapt to the ground, against all likely hood their flinty hooves finding purchase on the slick marble they surged towards the huge windows, shouldering aside courtiers and breaking through the glass as though it were paper.

There seemed no shortage of horses, Kagome frantically tried to stop the flow with a hand. The cork seemed to have disappeared somewhere in the flood.

Sesshoumaru huffed irritably caught one of the horses by the forelock before it could join it's fellows, reefing it's head around in a tight circle as he threw Kagome up over it's withers with his free hand before swinging up himself, cursing the skirts as they hampered him. As soon as he was astride he dug his heels into the horses side and let the horse bolt after it's fellows kicking up a spray of water behind them.

*嫉視 女 しっしおんあ shisshi-onna jealousy woman  
* Kotodama, as mentioned back in the Ash-child chapter, using words and names to control people  
*欲張り よくばり女 greed woman  
*網鳥 あみどり cuckoo!  
* This gourd belongs to Chokaro—Japanese hermit who owns a horse which emerges from a gourd on command to take Chokaro thousands of miles a day wherever he wants to go.


	33. Watered Silk and a Short Rest

**Disclaimer: **I claim the water-damaged dress and the soggy matchbox but the main two characters remain the legal possessions of the original holders

**Authorial note: **This one's shorter than my usual because the next one really does want it's own chapter. Consider this a breathing space

_Chapter 33-Watered Silk and a short rest _

The main street down to the lake was awash with water and Kagome wasn't entirely sure if the horse she was on was running or swimming. All around them other horses, wild eyed and snorting, were stampeding on down the road. The water shattered windows and doors, occasionally she saw a person frantically clinging to a part of the architecture as they swept past. She put her hands over her ears and closed her eyes tight. Her fault. All her fault and now one person, if not more were dead or hurt. The strap of the gourd around her wrist caught on something and dragged at her, nearly pulling her off the horse. Sesshoumaru's hand caught her by the scruff before she fell head first into the water. Despite this she got faceful of water and spluttering, realised that the gourd had been torn free from the strap and was no longer in sight.

Both the girl and the Taiyoukai were spattered with woodchips as the flood of horses battered through the town gate and washed out into the marshes. The further they got from the town the slower the horses moved. One by one they seemed to melt back into the water until, as they neared the willow thick lake edge, the very last horse, their mount, crumbled into nothing under them, depositing Kagome onto the sodden, crumpled skirts of Sesshoumaru.

The Taiyoukai rose as quickly as they'd fallen, pulling his garments out from under Kagome and immediately tearing the skirts away from his legs with claws that could at last find a purchase on the brocaded fabric. With relish he tore those pieces into smaller pieces and then proceeded to melt them. Kagome coughed a little at the fumes.

While her eyes were still watering she pulled herself up into a kneeling position. "I'm sorry I was so late Sesshoumaru-sama. I had some trouble escaping the castle. Then you weren't at the lake anymore." Kagome offered, her own adventures seeming at that moment nothing but a feeble justification. Then the thought of the shrieking, burning cuckoo youkai flickered behind her eyelids and she mentally shied away from the memory. Best not to think about it. Best to leave that terrible mistake alone.

"I … apologi…"

Sesshoumaru cut her off, throwing one of the few larger remaining scraps of his overdress onto the grass her. "This Sesshoumaru has no use for your platitudes. Wash and bind your wounds so we might leave this place."

Kagome blinked and stared up at the taiyoukai in bewilderment and then looked down at herself. Her wrist was raw from the tearing gourd strap, her legs and hands were flecked with small cuts from flood debris and her knees and foot were lacerated from her passage through the tunnel.

Now that she had noticed them they began to sting. Tears of pain and shock welled in her eyes again and she sniffed, picking up the wet fabric.

Bowing again, uncertain what to make of the taiyoukai's somewhat out of character solicitude, Kagome limped to the waters edge and rinsed her cuts, picking the fine bits of gravel from the sole of her injured foot. Behind her came further sounds of tearing of fabric as the taiyoukai turned the dagged sleeves of his dress into strips for bandaging.

When he dropped them by her side she found herself automatically digging into her pockets for some sort of return gift. She caught herself before she proffered the only thing she still possessed - nothing but the shredded damp remains of a cardboard box that had once been painted red.  
Sesshoumaru had never claimed reward or demanded anything of her specifically. She glanced up briefly. Beneath the layers of the dress, somehow, Sesshoumaru wore the tunic, leggings and a cloak of swan feathers. Tenseiga was tied at his hip again, even from where she sat she could feel the satisfied thrum of the sword and noted the taiyoukai's hand rested on the hilt in unconcious possessiveness. Perhaps in returning Tenseiga yet again she had earned some additional degree of respect.

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed as he noticed her gaze. Kagome dropped her eyes back to her bandaging.

"For what it's worth - I think this story is finished now..." She murmured, certain he would hear her.

There was an awkward silence between the two of them and then a quiet "Thank you."

It wasn't loud or specific but it had been spoken and not by her. Kagome ducked her head to hide the smile that she couldn't suppress. Sesshoumaru had actually expressed gratitude! She busied herself with binding her foot, internally leaping with unexpected happiness. Head bowed she did not see the taiyoukai approach. He moved like shadow, soundless, wary.

Still wearing the cloak of swan feathers Sesshoumaru tentatively reached out to lift a yellowed sprig of willow leaf from Kagome's hair and...  
woke up...


	34. Counting Cords

**Disclaimer: **The Tower belongs to Grimm, The two main characters that tentacled entity that is TakahashiRumiko/Shonenjump/Vis. The cords come from my ribbon box. I've given up on hair ties myself.

**Authorial note: **Again a thankyou to Robe A La Anglaise for posting so that I posted.

_~Chapter 34: Counting Cords ~_

The room in which Sesshoumaru found himself standing was circular, the walls made of stone. Under foot were fresh tatami mats and where they met the wall they had been cleverly woven to match the curving edge. The stonework was unfamiliar. Dressed differently from anything he had seen in his past travels of Japan or China.

A single window showed nothing but sky. There was no door. And Higurashi Kagome was distinctly absent.

Sesshoumaru shed his mantle of white feathers thoughtfully. As he did he noticed flecks of blood on the feathers, despite the time they had spent travelling and he brushed a finger over it, the rusty marks crumbling slightly at his touch.

It was not his. The scent was rich, distinctly human. He remembered the cut he had caused on the back of Kagome's hand when he first fell from the sky as a swan. He had been triumphant at being able to inflict that small harm on her at the time - when she had held such power over him. Now he was intrigued to find he regretted it somewhat. That, despite his past behaviour, she kept striving to assist bemused him. He kept looking for betrayal and she kept denying him the satisfaction of being right.

The feathers ruffled and he felt himself shudder at the same time, as if some how still linked to the garment. Then he noticed the cause of the sound: his hair had slid forward over his shoulder, brushing the feathers. However rather than coming to a rest against his arm it continued to fall, drawing a soft susuruss from the feathers and silk of his clothing.

His mane was growing at a disturbing rate...

Sesshoumaru picked up a lock of his hair. It now reached the ground and yet continued to gently lengthen, rolling over itself at his feet like a sheet of fine silk. With a claw he sliced at the strands, seeking to trim it back to its usual length, as he had done in the past. But now it would not yield.

Each strand seemed to have become impervious to cutting. He could not break a single fibre of it, no matter how he sawed - and his claws were sharp - they gouged the stone of the wall when he tested them. Acid and tooth had no effect either.

Nor could he pluck the hair from its roots.

Like a white serpent his hair continued to spiral down, nor did it seem to be slowing. Casting about for some means of keeping it under control before too much of it got underfoot Sesshoumaru noted a large bundle of coloured cord now resting on the surface of a low table. Neither of which had been there when he first looked about the room.

Hastily the taiyoukai tied the first of the cords at the nape of his neck and then alternated between that which already spilled down onto the floor and that which continued to grow from his head. He tied it in measures of shaku* with a different coloured cord and a different knot every sixth span to count the ken**.

By the time his hair had ceased it's mad growth it measured some twenty-six ken, four shaku and it coiled like a brightly banded snake around him, heavy and lustrous.

~o0o~

Time passed and Sesshoumaru initially alternated between destructive fury, icy rage and resentful resignation in his small prison high above the world. He clawed the walls and filled the room in acid in fury, practiced hour after hour of kata in cold rage, and, when resigned, the room would relent and leave some means for him to pass his time.

His bouts of destruction were few from the beginning. The first and only time he flooded the room with miasma the toxic fumes ate through all of his hair cords, leaving him stumbling through yard after yard of hair. The walls could be scored, but only so far, then they ignored his claws.

On the first day he had attempted to leap out the window. Several times. Each time he could get no further than half way out the sill when something would catch him by the base of the hair, preventing his forward movement. No matter how he writhed and clawed behind him there was nothing.

The room changed around him, never while he looked. At times he would turn and there would be cushions, a different table, some banner on the wall. When he was lucky there were scrolls or books. Sometimes a brush and ink.

He could throw these out the window easily enough. Had done so in some fits of temper that had afterwards shamed him. But could not follow after them himself.

Days rolled on into a week, two weeks. Beyond binding his hair in a plait, a long and fiddly task, and what weaponless kata he could do in the go-jō* sized space whilst hampered by his hair, he was initially at a loss for activity. Then one morning, when he rose from meditation, he found a shamisen* and bachi* resting by the window.

Thoughtfully he had strummed it. The strings had sung out, but were a little out of tune. Delighted at the distraction Sesshoumaru settled in to set it to rights, twiddling and tuning the entire morning until he was satisfied with the result.

He was too high to clearly hear the early morning bird-calls of the woods and he found he missed them. Beyond the soughin of the wind and snippets of noise from below the only sounds were those he made himself.

Sesshoumaru was surprised to find himself lonely. The time traveling with Higurashi Kagome had been filled with sound and he found he missed it. With the shamisen he conjured the conversations of animals and people to flow around him.

With the strings he could pluck the call of the shrikes in the trees, the laugh of Rin as she splashed for fish and even the cross scoldings of Jaken. They were not the same but they filled the silence that surrounded him.

Then a string on the shamisen, worn thin from use, snapped. And another. He mended them as best he could.

Day by day he rationed the time he played on it. Unlike the scrolls, food stuffs and furniture that came and went the shamisen was solid and dependable.

And now nearly voiceless…

~o0o~

Spring was drawing near, the wind carried the smell of plum blossom and Sesshoumaru, sitting by the window in a state of near meditation, breathing the dilute fragrance, had his attention diverted by a rattling noise from below. He lowered the shamisen. There was a clatter of horse hooves on shale and a female voice cursing everything that went on four legs and bore passengers.

Leaning out the window as far as the compulsion would let him Sesshoumaru looked down towards the base of the tower and was pleased to recognize the rider and called out by way of curt greeting:  
"You have taken far longer than I had expected"

Kagome grinned, and waved vigorously from her seat on the horse's back, almost falling off. While Sesshoumaru had youkai hearing it was evident she had forgotten the fact in her relief at seeing him and shouted a greeting up at his window followed by:

"Am I glad that the insanely tall tower was the right place? I know what we're up against now."

The taiyoukai quirked an eyebrow down at her.  
"Do tell" Sesshoumaru made no effort to raise his voice for her in return and the sound was almost snatched by the wind. Kagome still caught his off hand comment, the tone droll but there was a distinct air to his posture that conveyed relief, and grinned even wider.

From his place in the tower Sesshoumaru noted that this horse was saddle-less. Kagome, for all her clumsiness appeared to have been riding it with only a bridle. The last few times he had seen her in the presence of a horse he had been certain the girl had no idea of how to ride. There would be a story there. Perhaps he would even maneuver her into telling it. The thought surprised him. He would be interested to hear her words, her inane, babbling opinions and rambling descriptions.

He glanced down at her and the horse, his expression, unusually benign. His eyebrows communicating without words: "Well?"

Kagome hesitated then threw caution to the wind. Striking a pose she cried. "Sesshoumaru-sama, Sesshoumaru-sama - let down your...um... very long hair?"

Sesshoumaru raised a brow. She knew of his affliction then. "And why would I want to do that?"

"Well I climb up and cut it - then we both climb down... or something like that" The last part of her sentence was muttered as if she remembered something not so pleasant about that part. Sesshoumaru heard it clear enough – that bit hadn't sounded entirely confident or eager. Kagome rallied, as if pushing some thought. "I bet you'd like to get out."

"And do you expect me to tie it to something?"

"There should be a hook by the window" She instructed.

"I assure you there..." Sesshoumaru trailed off. For there - where only stone window facing had been before was a stout hook set in such a manner that would allow him to wind his hair around it.

He rested his hand on it and looked back down at her.

"What is to stop me from lowering this Sesshoumaru now that I have found this?"

The hook gave way under his hand, falling from the window and bouncing off the ground right next to Kagome. She gave a frightened squeak and leapt away from it.

"Sesshoumaru-sama. The last time you really angered someone powerful you were turned into a swan. I think playing along with the story is in the best interest of both of us."

Sesshoumaru was about to remark that there had only been the one hook and so now there were none... then noticed that, on the other side of the window, a second hook had appeared.

Hefting the loops of hair he had taken to wearing in a coil like a rope at his waist to keep it out of the way he payed out three shaku* from his head, to allow himself movement, then firmly looped the plait of hair around the hook. Tugging on it to be sure that THIS hook was firmly set in the wall he tossed rest of the coil out the window, watching it spiral down to the ground and beyond.

Kagome had wisely moved back out of the way to tie the horse to a tree.

Cautiously she tugged at the white silken rope. "I'm coming up"

Kagome managed to climb a few meters before her arms began to ache, another meter and a half before she sagged and her hands began to slide.

"Uh. I'm not too strong... is there any chance you could pull me up?"

"Hn" Sesshoumaru threw three shaku of plait over his shoulder, out of the way and, with one booted foot resting on the windowsill, easily hauled the girl the rest of the way up.

"Ojama shimasu.*" Kagome said, as formally as she could as she climbed in through the window.

Sesshoumaru snorted, unlooped his hair from the hook and relooped it back into it's coil

"That is a lot of hair... Why all the ribbons?"

"Twelve ken, four shaku. The blue for ken, the green for shaku." Sesshoumaru stated.

"Wow. You must have been bored."

"Hn"

"I am guessing you've already tried just jumping out the window."

Sesshoumaru merely raised an eyebrow at her and she ducked her head apologetically.

"I *am* sorry" I took so long to find you. I didn't have any directions to and I was a lot slower before I caught the horse."

"You. Caught a horse?"

Kagome flushed. "I don't think it was very wild to start with..." Though that didn't give credit to the day and a half she had stalked the animal, coaxed it and finally bribed it into reach with the last of the dried apple she had found in her pack. Once she'd managed to get her shirt around its neck the beast had become quite docile... and then she'd found the bridle things had gotten progressively easier.

Sesshoumaru's next word startled her.

"Tea?"

"Uh.. Yes. Please. That would be lovely."

~o0o~

* shaku - 30.3cm. A pre-metric measurement still used in carpentry. gofukujaku (36.4cm) is the form of shaku used for measuring clothing and, I imagine, would be what Sesshoumaru would use for hair rather than that used for measuring wood or metal. So his hair is about 49 meters long ^_^  
** ken- six shaku or 1.818m ^_^  
* Go-jō – five tatami mat sized room. Traditional rooms are measured by how many tatami fit into the space. The room is round so this isn't an entirely accurate measure you must understand.  
* A shamisen is a type of Japanese stringed instrument depending on the sort it can be played with the nails or a  
* Bachi – a plectrum or pick used for playing various oriental stringed instruments.  
* おじゃましますOjama shimasu 'Please excuse my intrusion' commonly used said when entering a person's house.


	35. Tea and a Tale of Travel

**Disclaimer :** This was posted on a stomach that contained nothing but a cup of tea and a cup of coffee. I am jittering like a guineapig full of red jellybean and so cannot be held accountable for the intellectual property of any characters hereto depicted, except perhaps the three old women and their dietry habits.

**Authors Note:** I'm not entirely happy with this chapter. A hell of a lot of nothing happens but it kind of has to to get on with the damn thing. This part wasn't even ment to exist until I realised how important yet another story arc was in developing future bits that are already mostly written. At least I am posting again I suppose. i will be editing this chapter further and reuploading with the next chapter - which I think may be a dog of the female persuasion to write. Wish me luck!

_~Chapter 35: Tea and a Tale Told of Travel~_

Kagome glanced around the tower room at the small square cushion that seemed to have been set out for her. In the middle of the room was now a stone heath and a tray of tea things. Neither of which, she was certain, had been there before Sesshoumaru had made his offer. There was no sense of haste in the room, no rush to escape that she had expected. The serenity seemed to soak in through her grimy ash stained jacket and soften some tight muscle near her heart.  
The taiyoukai cleared his throat softly and knelt before the tea tray with a practiced grace. Kagome set aside her fidgeting and questions and knelt herself, bowing and attentive - for Sesshoumaru was about to prepare Tea.

~o0o~

Eyeing Kagome's grubby hands Sesshoumaru had begun the tea-making with an elaborate ritualized cleansing of the hands, a basin and containers of water and towels appearing in a glance-away. An arched eyebrow in Kagome's direction had ensured that she followed his example. As he laid out the tea implements her posture subtly changed and he could hear her breathing slow. When he glanced across at he could almost see her in formal robes. Her initially tentative attempts to copy his own fluid practiced movement in the hand-washing ritual had gradually given way to a different process than his own – but equally meditative and elegant though unfamiliar.

She then, with proper deference and ceremony, though the offering was certainly not a part of any ceremony Sesshoumaru had experienced, silently presented and offered a small handful of ripe berries wrapped in broad leaves taken from her sleeve. The tart smell of the slightly squashed fruit mixing with the fragrance of the brewing tea and Sesshoumaru savoured the moment with additional concentration. This was indeed a one-time meeting*…

From the corner of his eye Sesshoumaru watched as the agitated, energetic young woman centered herself and focused on Tea. Her story was left to wait as the first cups were poured, the implements silently admired, the initial sips of tea were taken.

Elegantly drawing back a sleeve he selected a berry, assessed it and ate it.

Startled by his action but also recognizing that there were many subtle shades of nuance Sesshoumaru was choosing to communicate in that one action Kagome put her cup down and began her tale.

~o0o~

Kagome had been oblivious to Sesshoumaru's approach under the willow and so missed seeing him blink out of existence. She did not miss, however, the buffet of divine power that knocked her onto her backside. When she picked herself up off the ground she was distinctly alone. Again

The silence had been temporarily deafening. She had sworn, with feeling, as much to break the silence as to relieve her feelings and had then threw a stone as hard as she could at the nearby puddle that had once been a horse.

"What am to do now?!" She had demanded of the sky. No answering epiphany ensued. Evidently she was expected to figure that out alone, again. Her gaze fell upon the pile of discarded skirts Sesshoumaru had hacked from his dress and then down at her battered feet. Drawing the small belt knife that had accompanied her Valet outfit she had set to rendering the fabric into strips.

~o0o~

Several hours of walking later, with feet liberally swathed in silk overlaid with flexible bark stripped from a tree and bound with more silk, Kagome found herself in an abandoned orchard. Leafless persimmon* trees heavy with late fruit, all but dried on the bough, grew in abundance and, having nothing better to do, nor any idea of when she might find food again, Kagome filled her pockets and then went on to make bundles of the fruit using the remnant silk rags from her pockets and burdock leaves* from the ground.

When she had all she could manage to carry Kagome turned on the spot still uncertain of where to proceed. Overgrown and crumbling on the edge of the orchard she noticed an old hut. Further investigation showed the roof had fallen in and the dirt floor was littered with building rubble but, more importantly, an overgrown path was visible leading away from the doorway and downhill. One of Miroku's past comments stirred in her memory - that people tended to settle near water and so downhill usually lead to streams and streams to towns. With that thought Kagome realized how long it had been she had thought of her companions. Just how long had she and Sesshoumaru been mired in these trails? Guiltily she hitched her parcels of fruit and hurried down the road, hopeful that it was towards wherever she was expected to be.

~o0o~

The path did eventually lead to a larger road, just as overgrown and unused as the path. As Kagome followed it she heard a croaking song and found an withered old woman sitting by the side of the road playing inexpertly with a pack of cards*. Something about the sight made Kagome stop and as she realized why she noted another anachronism. For the woman was also sitting by a wooden crate marked "California-type mikan." which had Juicy-juicy-kun, a mascot she remembered from her childhood, stenciled on the side.

"Hullo child, come over, come over. Set down your bundles and have a game with me." A waving hand invited her and a slightly creased furoshiki was shaken out for her to sit on. "So many parcels My Duck – are you a merchant?"

"Not at all – I found some persimmon as I travelled and saved some for later. You are welcome to some if you like them." Kagome offered sunnily, glad of the company.

"Well in that case, shamelessly, I should love some." The old woman answered, clumsily cutting her cards. Kagome opened a pack of fruit and held it out. The old woman surprised her by not taking the expected one or two pieces of fruit but rather the entire thing

The old woman rambled in detail about her relatives and the state of the crops over the past ten years. All the while her bony fingers transferred the dried persimmons to her gap toothed mouth where they disappeared. When one package was empty she would look pointedly at the next until Kagome would avert her gaze and open another one.

"My mother always said if you ate too much fruit it a sitting it wouldn't be pleasant later…" Kagome hesitantly opined when the elderly lady began on the sixth and final package of persimmons Kagome had been visibly carrying.

"Pish!" The old woman said, "Nothing wrong with eating a little bit of fruit. But look- I shall leave one for you as you've been so nice to share." Her bony hands folded the final burdock leaf around the last shriveled piece of fruit carefully and she passed it back to a glum Kagome.

"And I'll give you this. I don't have much use for it anymore." She drew a small fabric bag embroidered with geometric patterns from her sleeve.

"Uh… Thankyou Grandmother," Kagome began politely, beginning to open the bag to put in her last persimmon.

"No no!" The old woman battered Kagome's hand away. "You don't use it for that sort of thing! That would be a waste! No watch carefully." The old woman pointed the opening of the pouch at a large raven that was pecking at the ground some ten meters away.  
"Kuru! Kuru! Naka ni ikou!" She cackled and the raven, evidently much to its own surprise, was sucked into the bag which the old woman was then quick to cinched shut. A frightened squawking came from within the small bag and Kagome opened her mouth to protest but the old woman, just as quickly chanted "Iku! Iku! Sota ni koyou!"* and opened the sack again. The bird fluttered out and away with all haste.

"Isn't it a neat trick. I don't use it anymore – after all the Buddha teaches that animals things should not be eaten… and I did promise… Though one does get hungry at times. You can fit a whole cow in this bag without trouble. Or several small people"

Kagome glanced askance at the old woman's rambling, noting a certain sharpness to the snaggled remaining teeth and the long fingernails. Suddenly less than comfortable with the company Kagome excused herself as quickly as she could and, once she was out of sight, set off at a trot to put distance between herself and the old woman.

~o0o~

Some time later, while pausing for a drink at a stream, Kagome put a hand in her pocket and found a few persimmons there. Pulling them out she turned them over on her palm and immediately recoiled. They were all full of fat grubs hungrily munching at the orange flesh. Revolted she emptied her pockets scrubbing her hands on her sides. The thought that the old woman had possibly been so eagerly eating the fruit because she had noticed the insects made Kagome cringe.

~o0o~

Kagome spent the night curled in under a stand of ferns. She'd been fortunate to find a few wild daikon and her new fire-lighting skills provided her with a supper of roasted vegetables. The following morning saw her travelling an area that seemed to be abandoned farmsteads. Untended fruit trees, picked clean by the birds and the wilted remains of self-sown vegetables that had not survived the frost were abundant. The few ruined buildings Kagome had seen indicated it had been years since people had cared for the area. But there had been people in the past and the path continued down hill.

How much of the world she and Sesshoumaru currently travelled was real and how much had Benten set in place, like some toy theatre for her own amusement? As Kagome meditated on this she found herself passing through an abandoned orchard of yuzu* trees still carrying fruit. The small bright yellow citrus would be far too tart to eat but Kagome filled her pockets nonetheless. Though first she inspected every one she picked closely for signs of insects. The citrusy aromatic weight in her pockets lifted her heart and she found herself singing under her breath.

It was about lunchtime when Kagome, considering if she could find anything in the way of edible food when the smell of rice porridge wafted past from a crumbling little shed tucked in behind a riot of brambles and bare branched fruit trees. Hesitantly she ducked her head into the house. On the central heath was a small iron pot of rice porridge over a fire and dozing by it an elderly lady in a quilted blue jacket.

"Ano…..Ano!?" Kagome called at the woman as the crackling sound and smell of burning rice became evident. As the woman muzzily began slowly to stir Kagome hobbled forward on her hands and knees across house floor, holding her feet in their boots boots up and away from the old tatami matting. Scooping up the dish cloth by the woman's side she removed the rice pot from the coals and put it on the pot holder evidently placed for that purpose.

"Pardon me for intruding – it was going to burn…" Kagome's apologies trailed off as the woman turned milky eyes towards the sound of her voice and began to put out a questing hand. "Uh- I put the rice pot just here." Kagome tapped the side of the vessel to make a noise and the old woman straightened and tidied herself. "Why thank you Missie. I just nodded off a moment – you are welcome to have share this lowly one's lunch… but what is this?! What is this?!" The old woman's hand bumped into one of the yuzu that had tumbled from Kagome's pockets and she scooped it up, snuffling at it enthusiastically. "Why yuzu? I've not had these in years."

"Uh… Please do." Kagome offered weakly even as the old woman bit down eagerly into the sour little fruit. "I've plenty more…"

The old woman scrunched through the citrus as though it were a strawberry and Kagome found herself, one by one, handing over every piece in her pockets and watching with a terrible fascination as they all disappeared down the scrawny woman's throat. To balance this though she got a large bowl of rice porridge and cup after cup of bansha tea*.

Finally the old woman sat back and took a sip of her own tea with a satisfied sigh.

"Well that it's a doubly fortunate day that these old bones met you today I've a full belly and still rice to spare. In thanks I'll give you that the cup to keep missie – it's a good size, for all that it is a little battered but it's more than that – If you look in it's reflections you can see more than is there for the seeing in it."  
"Moreover if someone seems deathly sick a glance can tell you if they're for recovery or not. If there's a dark shape at their feet a little tea from this cup will see them well again, but a shadow by their head means you may as well order the straw mat* and monk for sutras."

Kagome began to protest against the value of such an item and the old woman waved away her protests. "Not much use to me now you can surely see. I'm not planning to live much longer – you'd best take it as me leave it for the mice to nest in. Now off with you – I've tasks to finish myself."

Kagome thanked the old woman again and donned her boots, having pulled them off and left them by the door after the offer of lunch, before bowing her way out the door. As she was about to step onto the path another question about the cup struck her and she turned back to ask it, only to find the hut deserted, the floor free of tatami and the heath cold and empty of ash. As she backed out of the building it crumbled inwards and an irrationally cold shiver ran down her spine. Not pausing to question why she should suddenly be so afraid Kagome bolted down the road.

Eventually the sense of dread faded and a stitch in her side convinced Kagome to return to a walk. The landscape had opened up from the semi-wooded mountains. The ground was flattening and the fields looked less abandoned.

As the sun reached a few fingers above the horizon , on the side of the road Kagome found a large kabocha*, the nubbly edges forming a crown around the top edge that made it easy to carry using the remaining silk strips to macramé together a net bag around it. It wasn't light but Kagome rationalized that she could roast it whole in coals. The thought made her stomach growl eagerly. However Kagome had barely rounded a corner in the path when she came across a third old woman.

Hitching the pumpkin on her shoulder Kagome strode forward, now certain she was on the right track back into another tale. Three dogs, three old ladies, three shared meals and three gifts in reply. She felt a little guilty about assuming on the third gift part but the stories had been nothing if not predictable about numbers.

"Good afternoon to you Grandmother. I've just found a fine pumpkin. Would you like to share some?" Kagome asked. The wrinkled face twisted into a smile.

"Blessings be upon you young one. I was just contemplating supper…" Kagome looked down at the small pile of charcoal and the three lizards skewered on sticks over them and quashed a grimance. The old woman however had eyes only for the pumpkin. While Kagome unlaced the pumpkin and set it on the rumpled furoshiki the woman had placed on the ground for it the crone rummaged in a basket clucking for a knife.

Kagome was barely surprised when the old woman pulled a sheathed Tenseiga, from the wicker box and, in vain, attempted to unsheathe the sword to cut the pumpkin.

"If I may suggest it… I think this might suit a bit better…" Kagome said, warily proffering her small hunting knife hilt first. "Swords aren't really designed for vegetable cutting… If you like we could even swap…"

The old woman's face lit up as she took the knife and, checking the edge with her thumb, she thrust Tensaiga out towards Kagome with her other hand. Cautiously and politely Kagome accepted the swords with two hands. The pulse of recognition that jarred through Tensaiga's hilt at her touch was so sharp that Kagome almost dropped the blade. Her fingers tingled at the silent buzz that vibrated through the sword like the happy whine dog finding a friend in an unfamiliar crowd.

By the time Kagome had used her silk scraps to make a strap to secured Tensaiga to her belt the pumpkin had been raggedly hacked into slices like a watermelon and, despite appearing to have few remaining teeth the old woman was enthusiastically eating it raw. Piece after piece of marrow disappeared into the rapidly working mouth until one last small piece of pumpkin remained. The old woman looked at it longingly and then began to fold it up into the grubby cloth.

"No. It's quite alright." Kagome hastened to say, eyeing what appeared to be old snail tracks running across the fabric. "You keep that bit too. I'm not all that hungry. "

The old woman's fingers closed around the pumpkin and it disappeared into her sleeve swiftly

"Good fortune to you then child. An' if I were you I'd get off this path quick as you can." The old woman said, scooping up her three lizards and her basket.

"Why would you say that?" Kagome asked and followed the old woman's gaze further along the track. Ahead came the rumble of hooves intermingled with cries of fear and pain. When Kagome looked back the elderly woman was gone. The sound of horses drew nearer and, deciding on caution over curiosity for a change, Kagome threw herself into the underbrush.

~o0o~

Notes:

A cultural note on tea: The Japanese tea ceremony as we know it today developed in the [mid?late?]Tokugawa period by Rikku [more info].  
The Sengoku Jidai, the warring states period where Inuyasha and co live,occurs before this, Sesshoumaru's time. As much of the origins of Japanese is highly influenced by Chinese innovations I decided Sesshoumaru would be well versed in their tea practices rather than the Tea Ceremony with assocate with Japan today. Being a daughter of a temple I imagine Kagome would have been expected to be well versed in all forms of the elegant arts for a lady – hence her own ritual behavior while taking tea.

*I don't practice it (yet), however I've read enough culture based texts (and manga on the subject) to know one of the fundamental aspects of the Japanese Tea Ceremony is the understanding that every meeting is a once in a life-time occurrence and so should be recognised as such by all involved.

*Persimmon (_Diospyros kaki_), in Japanese Kaki (柿). There are two forms of persimmon – astringent and sweet. The sweet ones can be eaten from the tree like an apple when they are a deep orange. The astringent ones have to be either left on the tree or picked and allowed to ripen until they are very soft or else dried to be palatable.

* Burdock (_Arctium lappa_) in Japanese Gobou (牛蒡) – the roots and leaves are used in cooking but it also grows wild/feral. There are varieties of edible burdock in England and Australia too. Probably all over the world.

* Playing cards were introduced by the Portuguese in and around the late Edo-Meiji time and so didn't, to my small bit of research, exist in Japan in the Sengoku period ^_^ Juicy-Juicy-kun is my invention but I am sure there exists one somewhere in the Japanese mascot world.

* furoshiki (風呂敷) are squares of fabric of a variety of sizes and often used as a wrapping cloth . The kanji is basically a Bath cloth – indicating the use of the item to wrapping one's clean clothing and toiletries in when going to public baths.

*早く! 早く! 内の中に来る。 Hyaky Hayaku! Uchi no naka ni kuru.  
Quick ! Quick! Come inside.  
My attempt at "Snicker Snack! Get in my Sack!"

来る! 来る! 外に行く。Kuru! Kuru! Sota ni iku.  
Come! Come! go outside.

* Yuzu (柚子) A yellow citrus fruit and about as palatable as a kaffir lime for eating raw. This is used in a lot of deserts and as a flavoring for alcohol – if you've ever tried ume-shuu (plum wine) yuzu-shuu is equally delicious

*Bansha- a variety of roasted tea often drunk with meals

*Kabocha (かぼちゃ) – Japanese pumpkin. The seeds of this variety of pumpkin are also known as Pepita's


	36. A degree of Faith is Forged

**Disclaimer : **I attribute this to a trip to the dentist and needing to wait till my pain

**Authors Note:** I have finally! Finally broken the hold this chapter and the previous one had on me. I've decided I am happy with 35, horrible old women and all. And the next chapter should be easier to write. It may even go up in a day or so. As always - please point out typos, huge discrepancies and suddenly cut off sentences. Sometimes I miss them.

_~Chapter 36 –A degree of Faith is Forged~_

Horses rushed by. Big glossy fat horses with brocaded saddle blankets and black lacquered tack, laden with silk tassels across their breast bands. They tossed their heads and fretted, stomping and dancing as their riders drew rein. From what could be seen of the men through her screen of leaves they wore rich arrangement, unarmored but serious of face. One carried a large bundled shape carefully before him. Kagome held her breath and shrank deeper under her bush.

"You there! Peasant! Stop groveling and tell us where the nearest healer is!" commanded the most elegantly dressed. Kagome crouched deeper into the vegetation hoping that there was someone else visible. And that no harm would come to them or her.

"Oi. Come out of there!" The tip of his stick of office jabbed her in the shoulder as the man leant down and poked her. "You're not fooling anyone in there. Not in that bright jacket."

Blushing Kagome crawled out from under the foliage and bowed meekly. "I am very sorry. You startled me."

"Enough. You will take us to the nearest healer," she was informed. "And with haste."

"I… um… I don't know this area… I am a traveller but I do know some healing myself. I am a miko you see." Kagome offered. The spokesman raked a glance down her battered red over jacket, somehow mercifully Japanese in style again, to her silk bound feet.

Kagome's ears glowed. "I have had some troubles recently trying to get back to my own shrine. What is the matter – I may be able to help."

The spokesman scowled at her and his horse danced nervously on the spot, rolling it's eyes, he reined it in brusquely. "I very much doubt…"

His words were cut out by the large bundle behind him whimpering and spasming. The horseman holding it cried out and struggled to prevent his charge from falling. Several of the other riders dismounted and flung their reins aside, rushing to help.

The cloth wrapped form turned out to be a boy of seven or eight, blotched and feverish. His teeth chattered and occasionally he jerked in violent convulsions. Kagome was instantly by his side, resting a hand over his forehead.

"I've not seen anything like this before," Kagome said biting her lip. "And you have no medicines with you? Nothing?!"

They shook their heads and Kagome's heart sank.

"Nothing but trail food. We'd no time to do more – we had to escape the plague," one of the horsemen offered.

"A Plague?! And this child has it?!" Kagome asked, her heart sinking further. Photographs of the diseases that had plagued depression period Japan danced frighteningly from her memory, barely watched history documentaries from school reared their terrifying heads.

"Not when we started out," was a defensive reply. "He's our Lords only son! We couldn't leave him once he took ill!"

Kagome bit her lip and then remembered the crone's rice bowl. "Have you water… better yet water and tea… Have you any tea?"

The spokesman looked at her as though she was deranged. "The child is dying of the plague. Tea won't do anything."

Kagome drew in a deep breath and straightened, calling on the arrogant theatrics she had used to fool the giant she drew herself up and fixedthe lead horseman with her most authoritive look. Almost unconsciously she drew on her reiki, drawing the glittering holy power around her to mask her shabby clothing and smudged face with a heat wave of purity. In her sleeve the bowl sang like a prayer bell and Tensaiga at her hip hummed enthusiastically.

"I carry with me the sacred item of my shrine, a Cup of Destiny. Only let me fill it with tea and, if the gods will it, I shall heal the boy."

The spokesman attempted to stare her down but behind her, awed by the sense of purity that had washed over them all like a spring breeze one of the horsemen scrabbled for his saddlebags while another freed a waterskin* from his saddlebow. Kagome kept the leaders gaze and she could see him bristle at this undermining of his authority. He did not stop them however.

"The water is already warm from being beside my horse's flesh… will it do holy one?" Asked the young man that bore it to her, awe and a faint degree of fear written on his face. Inventing shamanistic flim-flam even as she took the water, smiled at the man and turned to the man with a small bamboo canister of tea she reassured them.

"The strength of your horse will be in this water, and the swift growth to recovery will be in this tea, granted by the bamboo that has carried it." Kagome rinsed her hands carefully, drying them on a cloth proffered silently by the headman.

She held out the teacup for it to be filled by it's holder with one hand. With the other hand she gestured for a teaspoon's worth of tea to be tipped into her palm. Ceremony was half of the magic in religion. Kagome had been raised to these tasks and from her O-Jiji* knew how to embellish them. She closed her fingers tightly over the tealeaves.

"Shinjuku, Harajuku, Shibuya, Akihabara*!" Kagome changed softly, blowing on her closed fist and embuing the water in the teabowl and the dried tea with as much Reiki as she could. Hopefully that would deal with any bacteria. She fully intended to test her reiki with a microscope when she got home again.

Another idea occurred to Kagome as she shook the leaf from her palm into the cup. Transferring the still damp cloth to protect her hand as she directed her spiritual energy into the cup, heating it as she had her firewood in the past. The water simmered. The tea leaves would be scalded, bitter, but the water sterilized.

Looking at the reflection of the child in the teas surface proved harder than she had expected. Eventually she bade the strongest of the horsemen, all of whom had since dismounted and were watching her with a gamut of emotions that ranged from reverent to disbelief, to lift the child carefully. As the old woman had described – a small dark man knelt at the boy's feet.

Kagome let out a deep breath of relief. "The gods are merciful. Let him sip from this sacred vessel and all will be well." She glanced at the head horseman, expecting some opposition. He looked searchingly at her and she noted a glimpse of pathetic hope behind his rigid face.

_Oh Gods be kind. Let this work. Please do! _Kagome sent up a prayer as she rested the tea bowl on the lad's lip and tilted it. Weakly he began to shake his head, spluttered and swallowed. A second sip and Kagome withdrew the cup, watching in awe as his feverish blush faded and the gaunt face became healthy again. The boy opened his eyes and looked up at the large man cradling him in his arms. A slightly peevish voice piped from his mouth. "Akibi! Why are you carrying me?! I am a grown man now and no one should carry me!"

The child struggled to stand and his captor gently lowered him to the ground, helping him get free of the swaddling fabric that had held him. There were shouts and tears and then, as a man, all but the confused child in his under robes, they knelt reverently to Kagome and bowed their heads

~o0o~.

As the revived boy was lifted onto a horse the Spokesman, Hiruki-san, completely thawed by Kagome's success, having introduced himself, asked in a hushed voice, "Your sacred charge is truly a gift from the gods. How do you come to be travelling alone and in such a …"

"Untidy state?" Kagome finished smiling wryly and inventing furiously. "It was decided after the third bandit attack on the pilgrimage that a single humble petitioner would be more pleasing to the gods than a vermillion palanquin with attendants. Alas the gods saw fit to break my journey several times. Yet I hope to soon return to my shrine."

"It would seem the gods have favoured us, while halting your progression. A terrible illness has struck our town and our Lord's household. Will you come and set it right with you divine gifts Miko-sama?"

Kagome hesitated. She should hurry to find Sesshoumaru but how much of this crisis was real and how much Benten's invention? She had been given an amazing gift. To not use is would be a greater evil than she could allow. For all she knew this was where she was meant to be.

"Yes Hiruki-san. I will give what assistance I can."

~o0o~

*mon are family crests. These round designs are seen on formal kimono, as decorative features on precious objects and in architecture. The hollyhock crest, paulonia plant and chrysanthemum are all commonly seen designs.

*This is plot device that I felt I had to admit as very probably wrong. The Buddhist teachings that travelled to Japan earlier than the sengoku included not eating red meat or using animal flesh. Hence leather and animal bladders for storing water or wine is OUT. Ceramic vessels on horseback are a silly idea. A bamboo watercanister would have probably been used but bamboo is a bit insulative and wouldn't warm up. And damn it! If you're going to make tea the water needs a bit of temperature to it.

*Ojiji – Grandfather. Horribly anglified in Vis comics into "Gramps" from memory.

*Shinjuku 新宿, Harajuku 原宿, Shibuya 渋谷 and Akihabara 秋葉 are all stations on the Tokyo loop line. ^_^ Fine Juju-chant for a medieval period where the language will have changed distinctly since.


	37. A bad decision is worse than spilt milk

**Disclaimer:** I all but forget how long ago it is since I first read/watched Inuyasha. Certainly not the 50-70 years post author death that would make it public domain - ergo - disclaimed.

**Author's Note: **This is actually 'chapter 37A' hence it's shortness. I'll be working on the second half and joining them together over the weekend. This has been a major mental block because I'm not very interested in this bit and want to get on to the next part of the story - but it is kind of important in setting up the whys and where-tos of later. It's also hard to write Kagome as a bit of an idiot when all I've been doing in the past is making her an intelligent character. However we all have wisdom failure rolls some times. It has also been a quarter of a year since I last posted and I wanted to make sure you all know it's not abandoned, just extracting blood from a mandarine right now.

_Chapter 37– A bad decision made worse than spilt milk._

Kagome sat reflectively on the newly wrought stone bench before her small dwelling and watched with satisfaction as the townspeople passed, going about their business. A mere three days had passed since she had arrived in the large settlement.

After returning the young heir to the lords keep and curing all of the staff that showed signs of the pestilence Kagome had insisted on being free to tend to the populous. This had lead to two days non-stop attending to the infirmed, followed in her rapid progress by endless round of pages bearing jugs of hot tea.

The bowl had been better than penicillin, better than antibiotics. And miraculously only a few, the very old, had been found with the shinigami sitting at their heads. Kagome had apologized to their relatives,, ensured they were as comfortable as could be and left them to pass on, hastening to the next plague sufferer. These had even been less, and the plague not as virulent, than she had expected. Now everything seemed fine… And she felt like a medical Midas – everything (well almost everything) , was healed beneath her touch. She knew she really aught to get on with finding Sesshoumaru but just another day or two here to be sure then she would slip away. The town healer, unfortunately, having been a victim to the disease shortly before Kagome's arrival.

In the mean time she had a house to herself. Despite the best attempts of the local lord and his retinue she had insisted on not being guested in the fortified mansion. Instead she had requested and been the of a small town house where she might be available as a healer. She didn't need to cook or do any general chores – the younger girl of the village were eager to take it in turns serving the 'priestess' who had potentially saved many of their family members from death.

"Uh… Kagome-sama….I am very sorry…." Kagome roused from her brief foray into smug self-satisfaction. Aiko, the daughter of the dry goods store was kneeling in the middle of the open veranda behind Kagome . She had been cleaning but now held a rag to her hand. "This clumsy one cut herself on the jizai-kagi…"

"Ah – let's have a look at it." Kagome said, dusting her hands on her skirts before peeling back the cloth. A shallow cut ran across the heel of Aiko's hand, it had almost stopped bleeding"It doesn't look very bad. I'm sure we can clean it and you'll be fine." Kagome reassured. She'd seen Souta and his friends come home with far worse injuries from playing basket ball.

Two days later Aiko's mother came to fetch Kagome. The cut had not healed and Aiko admitted that her hand now felt unpleasantly tingly where it didn't hurt. Kagome hastened to see. The wound became puffier and then septic over the next three days. Kagome tried her best to keep it clean, several times she lanced the oozing mess in order to relieve the pressure but that only seemed to make the wound worse. Aiko began to rapidly loose weight and began to refuse food. Kagome began to ask around for local medicinal plants but was told again and again that the healer, having passed with the plague, had left no apprentice. In her own world small injuries were so easily mended but here in the feudal period, she had been increasingly aware, they could be fatal. But through her travels with Sesshoumaru, both fortunate with their health, she had forgotten this. Aiko gave way to a mounting fever. Her mother spent most of her time by her child's side, every time Kagome entered the room the weary eyes of the woman were upon her.

"It's not fair!" Kagome thought aggressively sitting by where Aiko now lay on her own bed palette. "No one should have to die from something as trivial as a small cut." Her eye fell on the magic bowl resting by the hearth. It couldn't be as bad as the plague had been – why hadn't she thought of this earlier?

Kagome lifted the bowl and tilted her head to gaze at the girl. The small dark figure sat at the girl's head, it's long pale fingers brushing her temples. Kagome's heart gave a skip in her chest.

"Shikigami-san…. Must you take this girl?" Kagome asked the bowl. From Aiko's mother there was a sob of loss. The being nodded deeply. Kagome's mind raced. Then she thought of the first old woman's gift. Holding the bowl steady she slowly drew the faded sashiko bag from where it had been tucked in her obi.

"Shinigami-san Can you see what I have here?" She asked the reflection in the bowl. The pale face looked up at her with milky white eyes framed by impossibly long white lashes, like cobwebs. It was the face of a child, terrifyingly old. Kagome clumsily opened the bag with her free hand.

"Shinigami-san : Hayaku Hayaku! Uchi…uchi no naka ni hairu!" There was a hiss of surprise and then fury as the shadow-being was torn from it's place at the child's head and dragged from the reflection and into the sack. Frantically Kagome drew the cords at the mouth of the bag tight and tied them in a knot, and another knot and another until there was no cord left to tie.

"Mama?!" The Aiko's querulous voice rose from the blankets. "Mama it was so dark… Am I healed now?"

Kagome turned over the girls hand – the cut, though still raw, no longer had the threads of dark decay radiating out from it. She had saved her!

~o0o~

*Shinigami – death god – Generally there are more than one Shinigami – often depicted as coming to collect souls, escort the dead to the next world. They are popularly used in manga.

*Jizai kagi is the pothook that hangs over traditional Japanese hearths – many that I've seen pictures of have a fish involved in the ironwork. Mmm old iron and sharp edges, a recipe for tetnus.


End file.
